


Twisted into Lacey Knots

by jprophyl



Category: Twisted (TV)
Genre: Multi, Tyler - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-28
Updated: 2013-08-28
Packaged: 2017-12-24 22:32:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 22,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/945416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jprophyl/pseuds/jprophyl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An angsty dark fiction drama. When Lacey returns to Green Grove  a changed woman her inner workings and outer entanglements reveal the socio in everyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dark Lace pt 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic and I welcome your constructive feedback.and of course I own nothing but the story. Enjoy

Dark lace Pt. 1 "Lacey, Lacey ,wait up"! a familiar voice called breathing heavily behind her as she walked towards JohnnyCakes for the first time in months. It was her first day back in Green Grove and she fully expected to see Danny, didn't he always find her no matter how hard she tried to hide. This time though she thought laughing inwardly as she turned around she would enjoy engaging in their cat and mouse ritual.

"Danny" Lace exclaimed with a honeyed tone as she perused his face slowly ,taking in his lips slightly parted, his cheeks flush and his dark hair struggling to free itself from its binding a tendril sweeping across his eyes as they stared at her questioningly.

"Its good to see you" She offered finally after examining him. She Bit her lips and softly returned the stray lock of hair that had fallen loose back behind Danny's ear. Danny shaken a bit by her forwardness smiled tentatively in return.

"Umm.. Its good to see you too. You look really good" He said as he took in her appearance. Danny couldn't help but notice how different Lacey looked. The long sleeve purple mini dress she wore made her seem more mature and more ... He didn't know more dangerous. She tempered it with a black lace vest that she opened as she smoothed out a crease that appeared near her thigh at the hem of her dress. Her legs were bare above a retro pair of black booties. The silver bracelets that she wore jingled almost musically as she tugged at her dress and caught the light in her eyes as she looked up at Danny. Her wavy hair placed gently to the side seemed to dance to the tinkling rhythm creating a still moment that felt to Danny as if hours passed with her looking up at him instead of seconds. It was shocking enough to see her after so long wondering where she was , how she was and if he'd ever get to look into her beautiful eyes again. Now that he had , it unnerved him. As Danny searched her face brown amber stared back at him directly challenging him to look away. He found that he couldn't.

Her glossy lips parted into a brilliant dimpled smile at his compliment and she broke their intense gaze by lowering her eyes and laughing softly . "Well thanks a break from Green Grove high has changed me for the better then I guess".

Danny took a moment to regain his composure as he tried to remember what he needed to say to her. Taking cues from her response he said " I know I haven't seen you in a while since... "He paused letting the inference of the sex tape hang in the air "But where have you been all this time? I have been calling and coming by your house Your mom wont talk to me or let me or anybody talk to you. I was worried about you. I heard you and Clara got pulled out of school and I thought maybe you left to live with your dad and I'd never see you again. "Lacey I ... Danny stopped, rubbing his hand over his hair and wondered if he should go further before he went too far then flashes of him as he walked by her house glancing up at her darkened window wishing he had told her before it was too late hit him and he knew he had to say how he felt before he never saw her again. He grabbed her hand and gently stroked it "I missed you". I MISS you. I miss us, and I know I let you down and I'm so sorry. You risked so much for me and the thought of you alone suffering without anyone really made me realize how much more you needed me than I needed you." I .. I just want us to start over please Lacey Can you forgive me? Can you let me make this right"?.

Lace paused for a moment trying to comprehend How she was supposed to feel towards Danny or what exactly he wanted her to say. She knew Danny and she knew that she once felt for him but she only knew this through the lens of Lacey's memories. As she tried to figure out how to handle his declaration flashes of the day Lacey called out for her swam through her mind....

An empty pill bottle, a tear stained pillow Breathe me playing on repeat in the background, a welcoming blackness as Regina glowed brightly in the distance...

"Lacey." "Lacey" Danny repeated. "Lace" He said with more force. Hearing her name Lace came to with a start. "Hey", He said his dark eyes searching hers nervously "I lost you there for a second".

Refocusing her attention Lace decided the best way to handle this was to try to be as clear as she could with him, to alert him to the new dynamics that he would dealing with. She smiled serenely and said with as much gentleness as she could muster "Look Danny I'm sorry but I just don't feel the same way about you and us as I did before. I'm a different person now. Being away these past 5 months helped me to see that sometimes people grow up and sometimes they grow apart, so yes I forgive you and you should forgive yourself too okay". She ended her statement with a friendly pat to his hand. As she removed it from his grasp.

Danny sought out her eyes focusing into them to see some part of the warmth and longing he remembered there. What he saw looking back at him instead was fire that smoldered underneath her lashes and like a moth it lured him in but its intensity also silently warned him of the danger if he came too close.

Lace for her part enjoyed engaging in the silent conversation they were having but she had to pickup the dinner order for her mother and she knew there wasn't much left to be said at that point.

She turned to walk into the diner when Danny broke his silence by saying "Lacey look I know its been awhile but maybe we could catch up sometime soon you could tell me about all the new things you've been up to since you've been gone?" He flashed her a charming smile trying to tip the scales in his favor.

"Sure I'd love that" she said " oh and Danny" she added smiling wickedly "Its Lace now. Just Lace". She walked into the diner hips swaying slowly in a silent rhythm as she went up to the counter. Danny stood there dumbfounded.

Staring at her walk away. Wondering how he would handle this new and dangerous dark Lace.


	2. Dark Lace pt 2

Part deux  
After coming home from the diner Lace placed the food on the kitchen counter on the way to the stairs. "Judy I'm home" she called out. "The food's ready". When there wasn't an answer Lace walked into her mother's bedroom to check on her.

Judy laid passed out on the chaise in her room, a bottle of vodka in one hand as it leaned on the ground and an open photo album in the other hand that rested on her chest. A closed container of painkillers sat at the footrest and various photographs were strewn everywhere.

As she went to rouse her mother so they could eat something she saw a card from Clara wishing her mom a Happy Mothers day wedged in between the open album pages. Lying right behind it were pictures of Clara and her Dad Samuel smiling at her latest gymnastics meet.

Lace looked around at the pictures of her family thrown on the floor. She recognized her parents Honeymoon photos in St. Croix and Judy and Samuels 10th Anniversary party where a two year old smiling Lacey posed between them wearing a white sequined Sunday dress. Lace walked around the room picking each picture up adding it to the pile and examining it as a memory of her and Lacy during each event could be found in the images.

She focused in on a picture of a very happy Judy and Samuel holding Clara in the hospital and a she had a flashback of her and Lacey talking after Clara was born..  
" I m scared" 4 year old Lacey told her as they hid under the blankets one night during a thunderstorm. Lacey had run to her Mommy and Daddy's room and seeing baby Clara sleeping there in her bassinet tried to climb into the bed with them. Her parents exhausted from a recent nighttime feeding and afraid of waking up the baby firmly sent Lacey back to her room with a kiss telling her that big girls didn't sleep with their parents. Lacey now back in her own bed and under her fortress of blankets looked sadly at Lace and explained "I don't want to be a big girl. I don't want to be here by myself ". "Its okay" Lace told her as they lay there cuddling each other knowing that no matter what she would always protect her."You're not by yourself, you have me"...

Lace shrugged off the memory coming back to the present. She remarked silently at just how prophetic those words would become as she continued picking up the photos. She placed them on her mothers vanity and realizing that Judy wasn't going to wake up tonight she grabbed the halfway full bottle of vodka and headed to her room.  
\-------------------------------------------------

Sitting underneath the shower spray, the last of the vodka finished off Lace thought about how bored she was going to be now that she was back from New York City. All the interesting people she met while roaming the Manhattan streets after curfew ran through her mind. The gorgeous Latin subway singer who after making up a song on the spot for Lacey laughed as she danced seductively with her shoes off along to his guitar subsequently attracting crowds who left dollar bills instead of change. Lace laughed. what was his name? she thought oh yeah Emmanuel that was it. She fervently wished she was back in the city so they could hook up again tonight.

Or Hassan the hot Lebanese bartender at her favorite club who loved to kiss the beauty mark she had on her inner thigh whenever they were together. She missed his soft lips and dark eyes as he looked up at her after each kiss led her closer and closer to climax. She probably wouldn't call him though considering he had a wife waiting for him back home.

The imagery of her escapades was making her stomach flutter and her scrub kept orbiting lower and lower on her body teasing her as she rubbed it in slow, languid circles. A soft moan escaped her and she was transported to another image, this time of McNally park, where Lacey and Danny soaking wet sought refuge under a weeping willow tree by the river. As the rain cascaded down in thick sheets around them they began making out. Danny caressed her face softly looking into her eyes as his mouth pulled her bottom lip gently and she moaned into him running her fingers through his hair.

Lace caught herself .Why would she think of Danny Desai? Her thoughts sympathetically rested on Lacey and how hard it must've been for her seeing him again.

Her arousal abandoned Lace conveyed to Lacey through jagged darkened images all that she had gone through because of Danny. The taunts as she wandered through middle school halls. The night terrors and mindless therapy sessions after Tara's Murder. Breaking Archie's heart For Him, Danny's omission about that damned necklace and their impending breakup because of it, and the humiliation and shame of the sex tape debacle.Even with all that as if it wasn't enough the aftermath of Lacey's attempted suicide, the expensive Mental Health country club in Manhattan and Clara, her little Clara poo moving to Seattle while Lacey got treatment successfully drove home the point to Lacey that all the flowery thoughts and gentle kisses did not erase the damage that those stolen moments had inflicted.

Turning off the shower she stepped onto the bath mat in front of the mirror and glaring at it she said "Do you want him to break you again Lacey" She waited as Lacy hesitated before answering "No I can't go back there. I can't do it anymore". "Well then" Lace reasoned frowning at her, her voice tinged with determination " You have to let him go."  
\----------------------------------------------------  
Toweling off Lace set out to ready herself for the long night. Her mood was frisky so she donned a zebra print long sleeve belted mini dress over her sheer red all in one. Lace teased her wavy hair into a halo of ringlets that she tucked behind her ears in a low ponytail before finishing her outfit with gold hoops gold accented wooden bangles and berry pink lips that gleamed as she popped them in the mirror. She stood there musing about what she would do in Green Grove while strapping on her heels as she approvingly gave her appearance a final once over. Now ready and somewhat sober she decided that she would go out for a drive and see just where the night would take her.


	3. Dark Danny

Danny and Rico were walking through McNally park discussing his running into or more accurately running after Lacey earlier that day . He knew that somehow the powers that be had intervened and he was trying to explain this to Rico without sounding insane

" Okay so just so i have this straight" Rico said pausing for clarity "You ran into Lacey at Johnnycakes after literally spending everyday of the past 5 months looking for her and the Only reason you went there instead of soccer practice is because Jo texted you out of the blue for an emergency meeting that she cancelled right before you looked up and saw Lacey heading to the diner".

  
"Yup" Danny replied staring into the distance. "If I had turned back to go to practice like I wanted to I never would've seen her, but something told me not to and I'm glad I listened to be honest". "Weird huh".

  
"Yeah". Rico said marveling at the idea ."You guys might be connected in like a supernatural sense you know kind of like a bond was formed after you.. , you know, with what happened with your aunt, and you're all cosmically linked until whatever mystery behind the secret of the necklace brotherhood is discovered".

  
Glad he had taken Rico into his confidences since Jo had stopped speaking to both of them, but slightly amazed at times with how his mind worked Danny laughed out loud adding " Well I don't know if its Cosmic but yeah Rico I've always felt we were connected somehow even when we were kids."

They paused each one in their own thoughts until Rico asked Danny "So how is she doing? Lacey I mean".

Danny hadn't quite been able to figure out how to describe that to himself. He thought of soft pretty lips smiling sweetly at him glossed with arsenic that tasted like bubblegum and cherries when she kissed you.. . "She calls herself Lace now and it fits because she's different, edgier you know". Danny struggled to get his words right when a perfect analogy hit him "Lacey's always been a hard nut to crack but this time its like the shell is on the inside".

  
"Well she has had it pretty bad" Rico said "I mean right before Eloise, who I never knew was the Dark Lord's progeny, by the way, sent out that tape of you and Lacey, Jo told me about Lacey just finding out her dad was Gay after all these years, not that I have a problem with that I just could see how she'd have Trust issues".

  
" Wait, what Her dad is Gay" Danny cried shocked that Lacey never told him this important piece of information. He wondered what else she hadn't told him disliking the feeling of not knowing something this important about the girl he loved.

  
" Yeah" Rico said "Jo told me about it right around the time they dropped the charges on your mom, that was probably the last time Jo and I really hung out, you know before she started dating the Shark".

Danny laughed loudly at Rico's personal nick name for Tyler, then seeing Rico's downcast expression Danny patted him on the back and told him "Look Rico don't worry about Jo, she can handle Tyler and if the Cosmos really are involved then I'd say there's a good chance Jo will come around".

  
" What about Lacey" Rico asked pulling the thought directly from Danny's Mind.

  
Before Danny could answer him the sound of group laughter could be heard as they neared the old willow tree by the river. Underneath its branches at least a dozen college kids seated in portable chairs formed a semi circle around a beer keg and small fire pit setup. Everyone's eyes were riveted to the center of the tree where a boisterous female voice carried over the crowd recounting a raunchy story about a detoured taxi ride in Manhattan.

  
Rico's awkward brashness led him to comment first as he focused in on the figure ahead.  
"Is that.. Hold up, Wait THAT'S Lacey Porter?" He said as his eyes sought out Danny's for visual confirmation. "When you told me she was different, I didn't think you meant she went from Lindsey Lohan mean girl to like Amber Rose video vixen". Rico knew he was gawking , but he couldn't stop himself. His eyes traveled up what seemed to be unending limbs that finally curving upward supported a heart shaped ass that bounced up and down as she happily reenacted her story .Her dress clung tightly to the concave in her waist expanding and retracting with each breath she took. As she finished her story flustered and smiling she leaned down to better hear something that a dark haired admirer said to her over all the laughter and her v neck dipped to reveal her red lace lingerie cupping her breasts underneath.

Rico his throat suddenly dry felt a tingle in his stomach and feeling guilty turned to look at Danny who was clenching and unclenching his hands as he stared ahead.

  
Danny couldn't see anything but Lacey through his red haze. His blood traveled through his ears pounding as it caused them to ring. Adrenaline coursing through his veins elevated his heartbeat as he watched her offer his beloved dimpled smile to some undeserving frat boy jackass under THEIR tree, where he kissed her in a rainstorm the taste of gummi bears on her tongue. Her breasts peeking out of her dress teased him with memories of him lifting her up against his bedroom wall so that they were level with his mouth slowly tasting them as soft whines escaped her. The images aroused him as watching her incensed him causing his pants and his chest to simultaneously tighten.

  
His anger and insecurity rising Danny began to  feel an uncontrollable pull towards the dark places of his mind where his Aunt Tara her prone lifeless body was the first to meet him. She laid there gurgling as Lacey cried trying to dial 911 her vacant eyes mocking him as her face is turned in his direction.

Danny closes his eyes trying to erase the vision of her face. When he opens them The Brookside Juvenile Detention center looms in front of him as rows of inmates look terrified at the shadow in front of Danny that shakes the ground as it approaches growing larger.Danny turns around to face it ,11 years old again tears falling down his face in an oversized jumpsuit. He looks up at the shadow turned into Officer Pearson who grabs him and shouts " "You think this a fuckin game lil boy". "Just cause your parents and the justice system wanna give you a 5 year white collar treatment for a murder when I got kids here serving 10 for possession, don't mean shit". He sneers at Danny as more tears fell silently. "Here you ain't shit and your momma and your daddy ain't gonna dry your snot nose fuckin tears rich boy so shut that fuckin crying up". At the mention of his parents he cant contain his tears. They fall harder as sobs wrack his chest causing him to tremble. "Oh I see you want special treatment". Warden Pearson says as he scans the crowd his next statement a foreboding that would follow Danny throughout the duration of his sentence. "Well boys we need to show Mr. Desai how we give the royal treatment here at Brookside".

Danny is being dragged through the rows, he wants to scream as he gets closer to the room then he remembers Lacey's words to him before her mother took her away telling him he has to be strong. "I will" he thinks as he feels himself falling forward into the darkness.

He lands on his side coughing and spitting up small drops of blood in the infirmary his vision blurry through his swollen left eye. He's 12 and the stitches of pain in his side are searing through him. The nurse runs over and injects something into his I.V. to calm him and as he drifts off his body feeling warm and lazy he thinks of Jo and ..Lacey, her last letter asking him how he was holding up. He knows that even if everything wasn't ok he would tell her it was...

He comes to in a sweat on his cot. A photo of 13 year old Lacey sent secretly to him through his mother, in his hand. She's lanky, brace faced, and beautiful. As she leans against the fort a note on the back reads "Don't forget me" with a smiley face. Danny smiles rubbing his thumb over her face. Then lowers his hand into his pants and as he focuses on her smile begins to stroke himself until he feels a release. He gets up to place her photo back on the wall when his roommate reaches out and snatches it from him. He barely gets to close his hands over it it before Danny is slamming punches into the side of his face as blood splatters everywhere.

His roommate morphs into a dark haired frat boy who reaches up to touch Lacey's face as she smiles at him. Danny's eyes zero in on him under the willow tree. His body charges forward as he clears a path to Lacey and her newest obstacle with murder in his eyes.


	4. Dark Lace pt.3

Rico forgotten, Danny reached Lacey just as she, intuitively sensing his presence, lifted her eyes to meet his. Glaring daggers at her conquest for the night, he forced himself between them as he placed a territorial arm in front of Lacey before he saying in what almost sounded like a growl "MOVE".

The fratboy, or Aidan, as he was known, felt slightly disappointed that he wouldn't be able to go home with the smoking hot high school girl and play the roles she had whispered about in his ear earlier. However being more self preserving than suicidal he decided, after taking one look at the guy, his dark eyes manic standing there ready to spring on him, that the risks far outweighed the benefits.

He placed his hands up in front of him to show he wasn't a threat and said "Look brah I'm not tryna mess up anything you two have going. " I just met"... He paused looking up at Lacey. "Lace" she said rolling her eyes as she bit her bottom lip. "Lace" and I wasn't really planning to do anything , we were just talking".  
Lace hearing Aidan back down from their plans was furious at Danny. He couldn't just show up and try to tell her what she could do or who she could do it with. He wasn't her fuckin father. She had a father and even he didn't give a fuck what she did.

At the mention of her father thoughts about him ran through her mind. Him smiling and tickling her calling her his pretty little Lace as she giggled on his lap then his cell phone rang and placing Lacey down he walked outside the room to talk in hushed tones..

Knowing how he lied all this time she wondered how she missed the signs, the phone calls, and the strange magazines with pictures of men splayed out that he hid in the tool box in the garage that Lacey found while snooping for Christmas presents. The way him and her mother never kissed or hugged or Mitch who was around every birthday, anniversary or party or any fucking dinner for the last 8 years using Clara as his cover. She should've known but she didn't because she had no reason to believe that her father was anyone other than who he said he was. That was a child-like trust that she now knew she could never afford to give to anyone again especially not to Danny who Lacey, at one time,cautious but hopeful was ready to give her heart to. Lest god forbid she end up like her mother broken, bitter searching for herself because she gave so much of it to him. No she wasn't Judy and it was time that Danny understood that.

She came to the present realizing that because of Danny's little standoff the night wouldn't end the way she expected. Frustrated Lace walked in front of Danny's arm placing herself in Aidan's lap, grinding her ass in circles as she did so to spite him. Aidan for his part looked at Danny helplessly trying to convey his innocence.  
"Umm"..She paused looking down at Aidan . "Aidan" he said. "Aiden" she continued purring as she stared at him, his eyes wide with fear,"We don't have to end the night if you don't want to"."I really liked the idea of seeing you in my frilly pink handcuffs". She teased him knowing there would be no foreplay, his cowardice now a huge turnoff.  
She then stood up pushing herself forward into Danny rubbing her breasts against him so he could feel her nipples through the fabric. "Don't worry Danny", Lace said coyly "if you feel left out you could always join us".  
She turned back towards Aidan who was abruptly missing from the chair when Danny whipped her around pulling her hips roughly into him. With his other hand he grabbed the back of her head crashing his lips into hers.

Surprised at how quickly his rage had turned to lust a sexually frustrated Danny bruised Lacey's mouth forcing it open to suck on her tongue the cherry on her lips making him more frantic each time he tasted it.  
Sliding one of her hands under Danny's shirt, Lace's fingernails raked up and down his torso. Feeling them harden under her palm she pinched his nipple causing Danny to bite down on her bottom lip. She could feel him making small circles on her back and her hand suddenly restless began tangling her fingers in the hair around his bellybutton before inserting her finger inside of it in erotic circles. She reached her hand around his back and began scratching at the dimpled clefts above his belt feeling him grow stiffer under her.  
Danny moaned into her mouth when her hand finding his belt loop slid downward into his pants and cupped him, using the leverage to pull him closer. Her free hand rose up to his hair unbinding it and grabbing it in her fingers. Tightening her grip she ripped him roughly away from her as she looked him in the eyes smirking before she pulled her other hand up, slapped him in the face and walked away.  
\-------------------------------------------------  
Rico along with the crowd watched as Lacey and Danny like two battle cats ready to pounce went at each other clawing and groaning, uncaring or unaware of who saw them. Even from his vantage point the atmosphere around them crackled with the energy they were giving off and it made him want to turn away but his eyes stayed magnetized towards them. When Lacey's hand hit Danny's face with a resounding clap it was as if the spell had been broken and Rico was free to move again. He rushed forward to Danny who looking as if someone had drugged him stood rubbing the left side of his face.  
" What just happened" ? Rico said still a little dazed himself.  
Danny looked at him and said his desire increasing  
" You just met Lace!"

What Danny and Rico didn't see in Lace's retreating figure was a distraught Lacey tears streaming down her face as she walked head held high in the other direction.


	5. Rebound Rico Pt.1

Rico, chasing after Lacey managed to catch her before she entered her car. She turned around hearing him approach, her long hair gently swaying in the wind

"Hey", she said as she smiled warmly at him "your Jo's friend right". 

"Yeah. .. Rico". he said forgetting his name and his intent for a second then he remembered it was now or never.

"Well, I have to get going but it was nice to see you again Rico", she finished, saying his name suggestively before opening her car door. 

"Hey Lace" Rico said making her pause She turned her head to the side looking behind her to see him, lifting her eyes up seductively as she did to meet his. "Yes Rico" she said breathlessly rolling his name off her tongue. 

"Before you go I just Had to do this" he said gruffly walking up behind her as he pressed himself firmly against her. 

Gently pulling her hair away from her shoulder he began french kissing his way up her neck beginning at her collarbone and slowly making his way up to the tender valley beneath her ear where he whispered for her to arch her back so he could feel her move against him. His hands grabbing her hips began to guide them in unison with his as he leaned against her head inhaling the heady scent of flowers in Lace's hair. 

Rico slid his hand down under her dress to touch the frilly ruffles at the bottom of Lace's panties. She adjusted her stance to give his hand better access and grabbing the car roof her fingernails began tapping on it as she whispered his name over and over to the rhythm it made. Rico reached around Lace moving the elastic .tap . and slowly sliding his finger down .tap..tap she began gasping with desire as ..tap.. Rico ..tap..tap finally felt her..tap. Tap. ..Tap.TAP.TAP 

The tapping on the window startled Rico out of his dream. Annoyed that it had happened just when it was getting good he gruffly dismissed it as a tree branch outside when he heard it again along with his name being uttered in a semi whisper. 

Climbing out the bed he opened the window to see Lace sitting nimbly on a tree branch outside his bedroom wearing the same outfit from last night her hair, slightly messy hanging loose on her shoulders.

"Sorry I woke you" she said smiling. "My mother's being a bitch, and she locked me out and since I don't really have any friends here anymore I was wondering if I could hang out with you for a bit". She sighed then sticking her bottom lip out she said. "Please Rico I've been driving around in circles all night and I'm cold and exhausted". 

Rico still in a daze secretly pinched his leg then realizing he wasn't dreaming he began furiously blushing after he saw Lace quickly eyeing the evidence of his wet dream with amusement. He leaned over to open the window wider then motioned with his head for her to come in. "

"Thank you" she said flashing him a brilliant grin,"it'll only be 1-2 hours tops".She placed one leg in quietly ducking her head then pulling her other leg in she stood in front of him her shoes noticeably missing.

"Umm Question" Rico said in a semi whisper his voice laughing " Where are your shoes"?

"On the lawn" she whispered back at him as if the answer was a logical one. "I couldn't climb a tree very well with 4 inch heels on".

"So this is your room", she said turning in a circle as she examined it". Noticing a picture of him and Jo on his bedside table she asked just to make small talk "Do you still talk to her"? 

"Umm no." Rico said then lying he added "I haven't talked to Jo since you, Danny and I tried to apologize to her". 

Actually, Rico thought wishing his statement was true the last time he saw Jo he had confessed that he was in love with her...

He was sitting in her Living Room waiting for her to come back so he could apologize for not telling her about the video. She came in about 4 hours later upset holding back tears and slamming the front door she headed to the stairs spying Rico on the couch. 

Walking over to her Rico saw her distraught face flushed pink from crying her blue eyes struggling to hold back tears that were threatening to spill over. He pulled her into a hug to comfort her stroking her hair in a repetitive downward motion meant to soothe. She snuggled into him finally relaxing and Rico with an overwhelming feeling of contentment whispered that he Loved her. 

She lifted her face up to meet his, her eyes questioning him, trying to see if she had heard him correctly, her lips pouting up beneath his. Then unable to resist Rico kissed her with everything he had, trying to convey every thought, and every feeling that he couldn't say to her fearing that he'd confuse her the way he confused everything when words were involved.

Stunned She pulled away rejecting him by putting space between them. Her rejection of him stung harder when she told him that she was with Tyler now and ran crying out of the room. 

Now whenever Rico saw Jo it was in High school hallways and Lunch periods. It hurt him seeing Jo with Tyler as he sat there staring in her direction willing her to look back at him. When their eyes would meet she would look at him with a sad longing, pouting her lips at him reflexively and then she would turn around before anyone else noticed, her now straightened hair becoming like a curtain between them.

....since that whole necklace thing" Lace said jarring Rico from his flashback. 

"Umm what" Rico said trying to get back into the conversation 

"I said Mr. Distracted that the three of us haven't really been in tune since that day Danny told us he lied about the necklace", 

Seeing his bed Lace plopped down on it and began stretching, arching her back and snuggling deeper into it she resembled the image of a satisfied cat after finishing a bowl full of cream. She placed her hands under her head in a prayer pose and looking at Rico her eyes twinkling she asked "Were you thinking about Jo earlier". 

"No" he said then recanted so Lace wouldn't ask who he was thinking about.. "Umm yes I was thinking about her". "I do that a lot actually". 

"I remember that she started dating Tyler a few months ago before I .." Lace said her words drifting off then looking pointedly at Rico she said "but I just assumed she'd figure out sooner or later that you were in love with her and make the right choice".

Rico stood there in shocked silence too embarrassed to admit to Lace that he loved Jo but too in love with Jo to deny it.

"Well she's dating Tyler now so I guess she doesn't feel the same way" Rico said bitterly as he grabbed a blanket off the foot of his bed and sat on the window seat. "She moved on fast from her crush on Danny so maybe I just need to move on too"!

"You're right Rico you do need to move on" Lace said assuredly, somehow feeling safer and more comfortable in Rico's room than she had in months, "and I need a good friend", she said her voice sleepy 

Rico watched Lace drift off to sleep suddenly realizing that what he needed was a good friend too.  
\-------------------------------------------------

Danny couldn't sleep. He had been walking through Green Grove in circles all night since he had walked Rico home. His mind kept going over and over what happened with Lacey and his confusion kept growing . He didn't care who she Said she was now. he knew he hadn't imagined feeling her soften responding to his kisses and for a moment it almost felt like the first time when her lips met his at Fallfest.

Danny wished he could've done so many things differently since then. Hell he wished he could've changed everything since the day Aunt Tara died but since he couldn't he needed to think of a plan going forward.

Rounding the corner he realized he was in Rico's neighborhood back where he had started when he felt his cellphone vibrate in his back pocket. He took it out and saw a text message from his mother asking if he was okay. Not wanting to worry her and feeling tired anyway Danny decided to head home for the night. when he saw Lacey's car parked in front of Rico's house with her shoes lying by the tree in his yard leading up to his window.

 

Danny felt himself slipping into a jealous haze again but this time the residual sting from the red mark from his cheek served as a reminder that he needed a different approach or it would backfire. 

Tucking the knowledge of Lacey and Rico's sleepover into his mental file. Danny walked home formulating his plan to get her back.


	6. Rebound Rico Pt. 2

Lace began stirring around 6:30 just as the sun was beginning to rise. Rico who wasn't sleeping, trying to keep an ear out for his parents sat thinking about how different Lacey was now that she was back

She had always had sex appeal but as Lace she also had an indescribable confidence and apparently like Rico she had a dark sense of humor. 

Like last night when Danny feeling cocky got territorial with Lace she managed to smack him down and teach him a lesson at the same time.

Rico couldn't help being a little tickled by it, But he wondered how many times Danny would need a lesson after watching the single minded intensity in his eyes as he watched her walk away last night.

Danny looked like he was ready to do anything in his power to get her back. He just hoped that Lace was ready too.

Rico was pulled out of his musing when  
Lace opening her eyes, jerked forward running her hands through her hair and exclaimed "Oh no". "What time is it"?

She jumped off the bed smoothing her dress down then asking Rico if she could use the restroom He directed her to the door next to his closet before she went inside.

When she came out her face was damp and her hair was pulled up in a girly ponytail she looked at him and said warmly "Thanks for letting me crash here".

"Its okay" Rico said "I enjoyed the company".   
"I better get going then". Lace said walking toward the window her mind fast forwarding to the inevitable confrontation with her mother as she opened it.

Hey Lace" Rico said making her pause 

"Yes Rico" she said as she turned her head to the side looking behind her to see him 

Feeling strangely confident Rico knew it was now or never.

"You wanna go get some breakfast".

\----------------------------------------------

I feel like I've been thanking you all morning but, thank you again Rico" Lace said "For letting me borrow your clothes".

"Aww tweren't nothin" Rico said in his funniest southern accent, making Lace snort as she ate her home fries.

"How come you weren't this funny when I met you last time" Lace said smiling

"I was... in my mind" Rico said stifling a laugh. "but once I opened my mouth it came off as awkward". 

"I know. The awkward thing is adorable" she said thinking about the last time him and Lacey teamed up "but I definitely like seeing this side of you". "Its fun". "You should let it out more often".

Rico pondered the significance of what she just said then replied thoughtfully " I don't Feel awkward around you which is strange because I don't really know you but you're so confident and open that I don't really feel the need to hold myself back".

"Now I have a question for you" Rico said smiling. Lace playfully tilted her head at an angle waiting for him to ask

"How come You weren't this playful when I met you last time"?

Lace chose her words carefully before responding. "I didn't have time to be playful I was too busy being perfect".

"Oh" Rico said sensing a double meaning.  
"Well to steal something that a friend once said. "I like seeing this side of you".  
"I mean you climbed a tree. "The old Lacey Porter would never have done that".

No, Lacey wouldn't have, Lace thought ...

"Look at me" a triumphant 10 year old Danny said from the top plank of the swing set as he wobbled precariously trying to balance himself.

"Noo". a frightened Jo said from below. "Danny get down or I'm gonna tell the adults" .

Danny his legs in a surfers stance began grinning mischeviously rocking left and right with his feet. The old swing set groaning lightly each time he did.

"I'm telling" Jo said running towards the house her voice echoing the whole way.

"Cmon Lacey" Danny said motioning up with his hands as he balanced himself. "Cmon its fun".

"I can't" Lacey said thinking of reasons why she shouldn't. Her mom, her dad, her new shoes, her deathly fear of heights. "I can't get my new shoes dirty" 

"I'll help you okay" Danny said his eyes pleading with Lacey to join him as she looked up at him uncertainly.

When she continued to hesitate Danny suddenly looked at her smirking the way that always made her want to knock the grin off his face and said laughter and spite in his voice "You're probably just scared". "You know you couldn't do it even if you wanted to". 

He began laughing doing a silly hula swaying motion, laughing and doing a silly hula swaying motion, laughing louder and doing a silly hula swaying motion....

Lacey began to feel anger well up inside her along with an overwhelming need to prove herself. She silently began an internal battle, Lace saying they should do it , just to push him off and Lacey arguing all the ways they could get hurt or dirty. 

When Danny started singing "she's sca-red". "she's sca-red" . uh huh uh huh   
uh huh uh huh while laughing And doing a silly hula swaying motion Lace exploded forward charging at the swing set ready to climb. 

She managed to get her foot on the bar that connected the A frame using the posts to pull her up. Danny, now quiet, sidled towards her to help her, trying hard to keep his balance as the swing began swerving unstably with Lace's movements. 

Lace looked up almost to the top as Danny's hand reached over for hers. Just as she was about to grab it thinking that she had finally conquered her fear of heights she lost her balance and fell forward to the ground skinning her shin badly as Jo led their parents outside. 

"Lacey Danielle Porter"! Her mother yelled looking down her body reeking of alcohol. "What were you thinking"? as Karen helped Danny down the side of the swing and Tess and Jo ran inside to get bandages. "Look at yourself your jeans are torn and your new shoes are all dirty".

I told you we were gonna get hurt Lacey said to her miserably. As she held her knee. Now they're gonna fight again....

Lace tuning back in perked up when   
the server walked up to the table to refresh Laces coffee and placed her second order of Breakfast Scrambler on the table. 

"You want" she said pointing at her plate with her fork and then at him .Rico stared at the large omelette looking it up in down then looking at Lace wondering where she put it all. 

They both spontaneously burst into laughter   
"What"?she said "Climbing trees makes you hungry"! To which they both burst out into laughter again. 

Finally able to talk without giggling Lace looked over at Rico who had gone quiet all of a sudden staring behind her. She turned around to see what he was looking at. She saw Jo Masterson her blue irises flashing green as she focused on Lacey, charging at the table with hell hath no fury in her eyes  
\---------------------------------------------------


	7. Jealous Jo

"Josephine Muriel Masterson" Kyle Masterson yelled up the stairs looking at his watch if you don't come down here in 5 minutes I'm leaving for work and you can find your own way to the Diner.

Knowing she was meeting up with Tyler and that she wasn't going to walk all the way there in heels she replied 

"Alright dad I'm coming down don't pop a blood vessel". 

Applying red lipstick she rubbed her lips together, spritzed herself with perfume and adjusted the red headband in her hair one last time before walking downstairs to catch a ride with her father.

"All this for a breakfast date with Tyler"  
her dad said looking at Jo. She was wearing a white 50s sundress that tapered at her knee with a pair of Red opened toe heels a straw tote over her shoulder. Kyle sat looking at her amazed especially since less than a 6 months ago she had worn the same pair of combat boots every day.

"Dad its Memorial day weekend and me Tyler were gonna hang out with some of his friends later on.

"Doing what" Kyle asked giving her usual the third degree.

Going to the movies, the beach, she said knowing they weren't going to do any of that , "you know teenage stuff".

"Well don't get so busy that you miss curfew" Kyle said.

"I won't" she said with a smile rolling her eyes up. "Now can we go you're gonna be late for work".

"Alright let me just check in on your mother" Kyle said 

"She has a head ache again "? Jo asked concerned. "Dad maybe she should go see a doctor".

"I told your mother that", he said, " but she keeps saying its just her allergies or something". "If this continues I might have to take time off and make sure she goes". I'll be right back honey" he said walking briskly to their bedroom.

When they got into in the car Jo zoned out her fathers classic rock station as they drove thinking instead of Tyler and their "plans". They would meet at JohnnyCakes and as soon as her father pulled off they were headed to a motel outside of town. She knew she should be excited but it seemed like all they ever did was have sex or Jo would sit there watching Tyler in his own world working at editing his movies.

He always asked Jo for her opinion and she would nod and smile or comment here and there just to show him she was interested even though she wasn't. 

What she was interested in was getting into the footage he kept in a locked file in his room after what she had found out yesterday. The footage that he said was random , that He said wasn't good enough for the public eye ....

 

Jo was sleeping soundly next to a snoring Tyler when his cellphone buzzed in his jeans she shook him lightly to wake him but he started snoring more loudly than before.

She knew she shouldn't look in his phone but he was always so secretive about it making her wonder exactly what he was being secretive about. She peeked over her shoulder to see if he would wake up as it buzzed again then slid out of the bed in halted movements to make sure she didn't wake him.

Pulling his phone out of his jeans she unlocked it by guessing after two attempts to use his birth year. When Jo opened it she stared at it stunned. 

The message read: footage by Friday next. Midnight. Cash on delivery.

A gold necklace with a red gem in the center was posted as a picture with the letter V as the sender name. 

Jo Suddenly paranoid checked once more that Tyler was still sleeping listening for any change in his breathing pattern. Slipping the phone back into Tyler's pocket Jo shaking crept slowly over to her purse took out her phone and texted Danny. Finished she put her phone away before slipping quietly back in the bed with Tyler....

They pulled up to Johnnycakes and Jo got out to wait for Tyler. After about 10 minutes she looked at her phone and saw a text message from him saying he was running late and would be there soon. 

Instead of standing there in the parking lot in heels Jo decided to wait inside for him. She opened the door to the diner and out of habit her eyes flew to her and Rico's old booth where she saw Rico. 

She smiled fondly thinking maybe she should say hi to him when she spotted.. Lacey sitting in HER spot where she and Rico used to study and hangout sharing one cheeseburger with two separate milkshakes and two straws each so they could sample eachothers as they compared notes.

They were engrossed in an animated conversation laughing, before Rico's eyes instinctively sensing her presence looked up and saw her. 

Jo wanted to play it cool and walk over there all put together to show Lacey that she had moved on. That she wasn't the wild haired tomboy or the shy nerd girl that wasn't beautiful enough to fall in love with but was good enough to depend on. That She wasn't the damn Giving Tree.

But Danny had rejected that girl for LACEY. The Pretty in Pink girl who already had the dream boyfriend and the barbie doll friends. The girl who was ashamed to be seen with him because she felt it would tarnish her spotless reputation, the girl who didn't give a damn about his feelings unless it fell in line with hers, and Now she was selfishly waving herself under Rico's nose using him just to prop up HER shattered ego. 

Where was she when Rico moved to Green Grove friendless and lonely, oh that's right she was 13 playing with her new friends and ignoring Jo's existence. Where was she when  
Rico almost lost his father to a heart attack. Knowing her she wouldn't have cared anyway if her first and last name wasn't attached to the crisis.

Now that selfish bitch was looking at her as innocently as if they were 11 again as if she hadn't caused Jo .. and Danny so much heartbreak. 

And just the thought that she was suddenly setting her sights on Rico made the vein in Jo's temple pulse, rage flowing through her as she felt her breath quicken in and out of her flared nostrils.

Jo unable to resist propelled herself forward aching to give Lacey a piece of her mind   
\----------------------------------------------

Rico and Lace's eyes followed Jo right up to the table. She stood in front of it her arms crossed looking Lace up and down.

As an uncomfortable silence descended on the two previously laughing diners Jo said almost sneering. "I see you've been busy now that you're back from seclusion"."What no fun Lacey without a legion of adoring fans. 

Lace unfazed by Jo's obvious jealousy smiled brightly at her ."Hello Jo" she said in a friendly greeting. Its good to see you too".  
"Rico and I were just having breakfast and we'd love if you'd join us".

"I was just telling him that i cant possibly finish all this by myself" she said referring to her omelet as Rico smiled looking at it.

"Yeah Jo" Rico said to her then looked at Lace for confirmation. "It will be just like old times" he added like they were distant school mates who had run into each other at a reunion.

"No thanks" Jo said slightly confused that Lacey hadn't erupted at her but was confidently pleasant with her instead.  
"I'm meeting up with Tyler in a few minutes". 

" Oh Okay then" Rico said politely "It was good to see you".

"Yeah Jo it was really nice to see you" Lace said a cheerful grin on her face as she calmly turned back towards Rico and they began making bets on how long it would take her to finish her food. Rico teasing her saying with her appetite probably less than 3 minutes tops.

For the first time with Rico Jo felt like she was intruding. Like she was on the outside of one of his jokes. 

Jo walked away finding a barstool facing the nearest the window. She could see Tyler's car pulling up to a parking spot. While he walked towards the diner she waved to let him know she was still there all the while thinking about how comfortable Rico and Lacey were together.

Lacey used words like Rico and I, We, and Us  
and it wouldn't have stung so badly if Rico hadn't nonchalantly accepted her refusing to join them so easily, as if her presence was an unplanned but minor distraction to their morning.

Watching him He just seemed so relaxed and..... self assured. She tried to figure out what had happened, where the adorable, nervous, quirky boy was that she remembered.

Tyler motioned with his head for her to meet him outside the door, as another burst of laughter erupted from their old booth.

Surprised by how quickly her anger had turned into sadness a heartbroken Jo walked away in Tyler's arms her mind filled with a million regrets.

 

What Jo didn't see as she retreated from the table was the brief glance Rico gave her full of indecision and longing.


	8. Judged Judy

Their breakfast date finished. Lace sat parked outside of Rico's house dropping him off.

"So what are you going to do" he said referring to her going home suddenly feeling worried for her

"I don't know I'm probably gonna be grounded or excommunicated or something". Lace said genuinely unaffected.

"Aww that sucks" Rico said looking at her his eyes sincere "because I had such a good time today I was hoping we could hang out again tomorrow. 

"Are you asking me out"? she said smiling

Rico's first instinct was to downplay it, but then Lace looked at him her brown eyes hopeful almost encouraging him and so he thought the worst she could say is no

"Yeah I am" he said owning it.

"Good" she said grinning like a proud parent as she nodded "I was hoping that you would". She reached for her phone, then gently placing it in his palm she told him to program his number in and said "I'll call you tonight okay", as he exited her car.

She blew a kiss at him before she pulled off making Rico laugh as he caught it and thought how he couldn't remember the last time he felt this free.  
\-----------------------------------------

Seeing Lace pull into the driveway   
Judy Porter rushed to the door to meet her.  
"LACEY DANIE..."

"Danielle Porter, what were you thinking yada yada" Lace said. "Can you just get on with it Judy so I can go to my room and you can go collapse somewhere. 

"YOU Disrespectful Ungrateful Witch" her mother said following behind her as she slipped past her into the house. Lace could already smell the aroma of alcohol in the entryway. But once she made it towards the living room it erupted into a stench.

 

How The HELL Do You Stay Out All Night, When You Just Got Released From The Hospital, Judy began "With Explicit Instructions That You Rest. "Do You Want To Have A Relapse". She continued in full parent prose. "You Probably Haven't Even Taken Your Medication".

" Well How Can I When You're Always Taking It". Lace said rounding on her then added "I mean What's the Point of getting out of the hospital if I'm too drugged up like you to know the difference?

"Don't Talk To Me Like That Little Girl". Judy said pulling her mother card out in defense.

"How should I talk ", "Should I say I'm sorry mother dear that I didn't want to hang around and watch you drink and pop pills all night until you passed out". "What are you really mad about that I left Or that I didn't stay here in this Pathetic Pity Party With You."

"Why are you're saying this to me", Judy said her lip trembling her voice becoming small. 

Oh no Lace thought silently groaning here it comes "The Guilt Trip" Where Judy becomes the victim no matter what they were talking about. It was one of the few things that Lacey couldn't bear to see and she felt an internal battle beginning with Lace arguing that was she was being manipulative and Lacey saying that she was really hurting.

"I'm not perfect. I know I'm not perfect, but at least I'm here" Judy said referring to Samuel's absence. 

Look I'm trying to get better Lace she said sounding desperate and hopeful. I keep.....Judy paused fighting back tears "I... Keep...Trying" her voice slowly began breaking and becoming thick as tears escaped her. Lacey watching her became distraught so Lace relented letting her take over.

"Mom" she said her voice gentle as she walked over to her mother who looked so fragile curled up in the corner of the couch cradling her head in her hands. Her hair fell around her face giving her the appearance of a frightened child trying to hide from an abusive parent. 

Her mother didn't respond but kept crying as she rocked slowly back and forth.   
"Mom". Lacey said again her eyes clouding over as her mother lifted up her face stricken and streaked with tears and mascara but still she sat rocking, remouthing her words staring ahead.

"Mommy" Lacey uttered her voice cracking when her mother continued to rock seemingly unaware. Lacey's heart constricting in her chest as she did. 

I'm sorry mommy". Lacey said swallowing back her tears as she eased next to her. "I'm so sorry I yelled at you". "You're gonna get better and then everything will be okay".

Lacey began talking in a soothing singsong voice. "Shhhh. Don't cry. Its okay, you're gonna get better", wrapping her arms around her mother rocking with her gently as she cried. She wondered if she was saying it for her mom or herself.

Once her mother had exhausted herself crying. Lacey got up to get her a blanket. While placing it on her, Lacey looked down and saw a momentary ghost of her mothers past. Her face was glowing and happy before it faded replaced by her tearstained sleeping one.

Lacey tiptoed out of the room so as not to wake her and headed upstairs to shower.

Underneath the spray her mind began to revisit things, things she wishes she could forget....

Staring through the slats in the banister she sees Her dad Samuel looking at her mother his face contorted in rage as she stands in front of the front door his cell phone in her hand screaming at him. He pushes her into the wall knocking over a crystal lamp by the entryway. It flashes as it shatters violently into so many little pieces that some of the shards embed themselves in Lacey's arm

Realizing what he has done he looks around and sees Lacey spying on him from the top of the stairs and runs out of the house. Her mother is in the same spot curled up and rocking back and forth. 

7 year old Clara is sleeping peacefully until she hears the crash. She screams her cries reverberating off the walls. Lacey runs to her then strokes her back and rocks her gently until she settles down. Walking downstairs to her mother she does the same. 

Once they are both sleeping she cleans up the broken glass and goes to call Danny he tells her he will come if she needs him. She says all she needs is to hear his voice so he talks to her until she falls asleep..

She wakes up to a light flashing in her eyes painfully bright blinding her. She is 12 years old in Dr. Kurtz's office after an intense session of hypnotherapy. 

After 1 year of sessions they try hypnotize her to get her to open up about what happened the day Aunt Tara died but Lace refuses to cooperate. Instead she sits in defiant silence reliving the image of Tara's body lifeless yet somehow malicious staring at her accusingly as if she should've known Danny would do this that he was capable of it and then she could somehow have done something to prevent it.

He suggests to her mother that perhaps writing Danny would help the memories to surface but both Lace and Lacey know they never cease. 

They are nightmares that morph into a labyrinth where Lacey hears Danny crying for her and she finds him just as he points to Aunt Tara and disappears. Tara is grabbing at that ugly necklace as it becomes smaller and smaller around her neck choking the life out of her until she falls into the exact position she was when Lacey found her. 

Her eyes become accusing and Lacey cant look away .They pull her back into the darkness that she knows she will not be able to escape until morning. When the night comes she pulls the blankets over her head and closes her eyes waiting for them to come. 

She feels the warmth of the sun on her skin and opens her eyes admiring its rays. She is 13 and she and Jo are at the fort trying to fix a hole in the roof. While they attach a piece of tarp Jo begins talking about Danny again and how much him killing Tara has traumatized her sounding like a miniature copy of her father Kyle. 

Lacey who relives the trauma every night and is forcibly reminded by the town everyday makes a silent decision that she won't let her nightmares ruin her days anymore. She makes sure Jo is clear that she no longer wants to talk about that day again and watches as Jo now irate storms away . She takes out her camera phone and takes a picture for Danny finally feeling in control. She smiles as the flash goes off.

She is floating, And endless rows of lights dim and brighten and then become a stream. She feels fireworks exploding in her eyes and the soft sound hummingbirds make and peace as she allows the weight to fall off her rising form level by level. 

She hears and feels a conflicting sound. It is jarring as it vibrates within her. It sounds like it says "Here it goes again" in an eerie distant echo but as she strains to hear it she becomes heavier. it fades and returns vibrating within her again and again each time pulling her down into the washed out grayness. 

She tries to reach for the light above her. It is leaving as the song becomes louder and it is not vibrating within her but buzzing near her hip. She feels a pressure of someone's touch at her side but Her head is spinning and her stomach is violently contracting and she can't move. 

She is becoming aware in a growing state of confusion. The background is a stark white color and there is shouting and noise. She hears her mother say Danny's name then phone.. HER PHONE it is buzzing with Danny's ringtone. The sound is making her sick her stomach churns as all of its contents empty out of her.

She is alone in a white room in darkness no longer able to handle the light. ....


	9. Dark Danny Pt.2

It was Saturday afternoon and Danny was at home noticeably depressed that he didn't have anyone he could call besides Rico who wasn't answering his phone.

Danny suppressed the urge to think of Rico being intimate with Lace instead choosing to believe that Rico would never do that to him knowing how he felt about her.

His Lace Danny thought possessively recalling the name he had used whenever he tried to reach Lacey. It symbolized the love and tenderness Danny felt for her and he couldn't help thinking that it wasn't a coincidence that she had chosen to identify herself with it.

Nervously tucking his loose hair behind his ears Danny decided on a whim to give Jo a call and let her know Lacey was back in town. Her phone rang a couple of times but just before Danny was going to end the call she picked up the phone.

"Hello" she said sounding gruff. Danny could hear the sound of wind moving in the background like she was in a car.

" Hey" Danny said trying to be non threatening. "

" May I help you? She said strangely without saying his name leading Danny to assume rightly that she was with Tyler.

"I guess you have company" he said trying to play along. "but I called because ..

"I'm sorry you must have the wrong number Jo said acting. She continued in a mock conversation as Danny listened confused.

"Umm hmm" she said "Oh its no problem at all.

"Jo are you okay" Danny said lost. "I just wanted to find out what happened to you yesterday. Maybe we could meet up tonight so you can tell me what the emergency was.

She interrupted him laughing casually and said "Yeah one night I accidentally texted my friends to meet me at our old fort so it happens but anyway sorry I couldn't help you" and the phone went dead.

Danny held the phone in his hands looking at it knowing she had never accidentally texted him and Lacey, then it clicked and he got the message. For some reason Jo didn't want Tyler finding out that she wanted to meet up with him tonight at the fort.

Danny decided to call Rico one more time, angrily tossing the phone on the floor when he didn't answer. Deep breaths Danny, he thought before he headed downstairs to eat something.

——————————————————

Karen was cleaning out the fridge when she heard the sound of Danny’s footsteps on the stairs.

"Hey" she called to him. " I’m shocked to see you’re up after you got in so late last night".

  “Yeah well I am too” he said as he headed into the kitchen seeming  frustrated. 

Seeing he was upset Karen asked  
“Danny whats wrong with you and before you say its nothing remember I may be your mom but I’m also your biggest cheerleader”.  
So what’s going on”?

Realizing that squabbling with his mother wouldn’t help when what he really wanted to do was talk, Danny exhaled “I saw Lacey”! 

"YOU SAW LACEY"! "Where was she"? "How was she?" Karen asked thinking of how fond she had always been of Lacey ever since she had moved into their neighborhood an adorable pig tailed girl of 4.

She paused seeing that Danny wasn’t as excited as she was. “Danny I thought finding Lacey was a good thing”.

"It is". He said trying to explain. "Its just that she’s not the same Lacey that you remember".

"Well the Lacey I remember was always  complex even when she was a little girl" Karen said. "Like that one night she called you after Judy and Samuel got into a fight" Danny tried to remember but there were so many so he let his mother continue

“When I tried to get her to talk about it the only thing she would say was she was worried about her mom and wanted to talk to you”. “I figured it was important but I didn’t find out how important until I talked to Judy the next day but I noticed that after that day Lacey acted as if it never happened”.

Danny remained silent taking it all in

“My point is I can’t imagine what she’s going through with the whole school seeing that video of you and her but I suspect that since she’s always carried a lot on her shoulders maybe after she left she wanted to leave all of that behind”.

Danny really listening to his mother for once thought about all that Lacey went through. He thought about how she always managed everyone’s problems. Seeming effortlessly to make everything insurmountable seem small  and that’s what he loved about her.   
With all the troubles in Danny’s life he needed that her logical balanced perspective to cancel out his crazy ideological one. It was clear that just as he needed her she needed him too but somehow Danny had managed to miss that.

"What do I do"? Danny said unsure now about which way to approach her

Karen sensing Danny’s despair wanted to encourage him so she said “Lacey is a lot like me Danny she needs to know that you’ll be there even if she’s at her worst and you love her so I know you will just make sure she knows it too”.

Danny grabbed a banana out of the centerpiece bowl then came around the island to hug his mom. “Thanks” he said to her before hurrying back upstairs.

Karen pleasantly surprised started to think that maybe Danny would need her help because if Lacey was as much like her as she thought he would have his work cut out for him. 

She smiled looking up at the ceiling thanking the heavens that it wasn’t Kyles daughter that he had chosen.

          ———————————————————————

Talking with his mother had done Danny a world of good. If he really thought about it  
He could understood now why Lacey wanted to keep their relationship secret until they cleared his name. 

Back then he thought she was being selfish, only protecting herself but seeing the fallout from people knowing he realized that she was also trying to protect him Jo and their budding relationship from the backlash. 

He also realized that he had not stood by her when she needed him the most. It was simpler at the time to worry about Jo’s feelings than it was to repair Lacey’s trust because Danny knew he would have to work twice as hard to regain it, but by doing that he had shown her that yet again her feelings were second  to others.  

She deserved better than that. She deserved someone who saw her inner child and cherished it so that she could laugh and play without worrying about everyone else and what they needed from her and Danny was going to show her that she would never be second to anyone.

He strengthened himself for the battle ahead by remembering the daily feeling of drifting when Lacey was gone. He had been lost without her to anchor him and he kept sane by promising himself that when he found her he would never take her honesty and faith in him for granted again.

Danny took a shower and got dressed thinking ahead to his meeting with Jo  
He wondered when they would meet since she hung up the phone before he could ask. As if she read his mind his cellphone buzzed with a message from her. All it said was the number 8.

Alrighty then Danny thought looking at the alarm clock on his bedside table. Eight o’clock it is.


	10. Jealous Jo Pt.2

Jo and Tyler had just finished having sex and her body was tingling from the afterglow. Her mind was buzzed from drinking on the way there and she felt herself coming down as she vibrated from the inside. 

Jo couldn't remember a time before that it had ever been this amazing and she blushed reliving it to delay the tingle from disappearing...

The room at the motel contained wall sized mirrors everywhere. Naked, Jo could see Tyler behind her as he kneaded her breasts with his palm rolling her nipples into stiff peaks with his thumb and forefinger . Kissing her neck aggressively he whispered hard and hoarse under her ear "Moan for me Josie"!

She felt herself becoming slick at the sound of his pet name for her and she moaned deep and low at his command. 

One of his hands began traveling down while the other continued rolling her nipple, landing between her legs to grope her sex playing with it with two fingers while his palm rubbed against her newly shaven lips. 

Jo leaned into his finger purring as it slipped it into her opening. "Open your eyes Josie " he commanded his voice becoming more breathy. "Look." 

Jo's eyes weighed down by the sensation began lifting slowly to see Tyler's hand between her spread legs gliding in and out mesmerizing her in a heavy and hypnotic spell.

"You love this", Tyler insisted "Say you love it Josie" "Say it" and she did love it. She loved the hum that grew into a song as he slid faster and faster into her the friction creating an ache inside her and the sound of his breath whispering filth in her ear. She loved every moment of it, right now she loved him. 

"I love this"she moaned  
and she moaned again and again as Tyler increasing his strokes placed another finger inside her and Jo continued watching him in dazed arousal. 

The slippery friction was becoming unbearable then Tyler started saying "Josie ahh your so hot and so wet baby come for me". She began to feel the pressure building in her as her moans became louder and louder and Tyler kept sliding faster and faster in her until her thighs began to quiver and her first orgasm flowed through her.

At Tyler's prompting Jo still facing the mirror turned around. Placing her hand at the base of his shaft she put it into her mouth sliding all the way down in silky slow movements. Their eyes locked as she came up and each time she would pull at his head tightening the suction before sliding down again. 

"Josie Faster" he said he said his head beginning to fall on his shoulders as his dick began pulsating under her tongue.  
"Faster" he said again more frantic guiding her head down and her mouth took him in deeper as she increased her pace.

"I'm about to come" Tyler said. He quickly pulled himself out of her mouth before moving around Jo and sliding himself into her from behind.

As he did his hand pulled her hair forcing her to look up at the mirror and his other hand pulled her lower half towards him using her waist to anchor him.

"Look Josie" he ordered her again this time roughly. Looking Jo saw herself at different angles. Her eyes heavily lidded with desire as Tyler pulled her into him. She saw her hair wrapped in his hand her breasts moving in time with his thrusts.

She saw her hips as he pulled her. The side of her back arched in pleasure.

She saw Tyler's ass heaving into her. His hair wet his back drenched in sweat.

The mirror images were pushing her deeper into a velvet high and when she caught sight of one reflecting her womanhood resembling the inner petals of a lotus flower as Tyler thrust in and out of it she lost all her control Her cries became needy begging for him to finish it.

Fuck.. Tyler ... Please... Don't Stop...

Tyler feeling her oncoming orgasm began slamming into Jo suddenly tapping into a raw spot deep inside her core causing her to begin seeing stars her voice shaking ."unnh Ty...ler, Ty...ler. she cried out not caring who heard her. 

He thrust hard one last time as Jo climaxed again in violent spasms. "Josie" Tyler said through bared teeth "I'm coming" then pulling out quickly he ejaculated onto her back. 

Jo stroked Tyler until every bit of his release was finished then after cleaning themselves up she watched Tyler fell asleep playing with his chest hair and giggling to herself before she joined him

\-------------------------------------------------- 

Once they got back to Green Grove Tyler said he needed to stop at his house for a minute. He ran inside opening his phone to make a call. 

Jo sat watching him walking away in the front seat annoyed again that he only made phone calls when she wasn't present. 

She started fixing her makeup in the passenger mirror when she spied his equipment bag in the back seat. Bored and always curious she began looking through it carefully keeping an eye out for Tyler. 

She saw the power light on the camera blinking as if it needed to be charged which was strange since he hadn't used it all day. 

Pulling up the saved recordings she noticed one dated for today. She scrolled down getting a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach when she saw that it was labeled Josie and the Pussycat scene 11. 

When she pressed play she could hear Tyler's voice saying "Moan for me Josie" and  
she saw herself moaning and naked looking at Tyler in the mirror and him smiling at her now looking evil and perverted as he did. Her body was splayed out at different angles and suddenly her perfect private moment became a disgusting mistake that Jo was ashamed of.

She began quickly scrolling through all the titles of his footage. She saw the titles for Josie and the Pussycat parts 1-10. She paused again sickened when she saw the footage labeled Socio Sex tape but it wasn't until the cursor landed on a title listed Soccer Stud that she began to feel afraid.

Jo glanced up on the lookout for Tyler then she quickly clicked out of the footage list fear building inside her. Closing the camera bag she waited for Tyler to come back deciding to keep quiet about it for now.

 

He came out about a minute later telling Jo he was checking in with his ever traveling parents and they began driving searching for somewhere to eat.

Tyler always alert sensed something was wrong. "Are you okay Josie" he said a little too innocently

Jo had to fight back the nausea she felt hearing him call her that. "I'm fine. "Its just I saw Lacey today" she said trying to distract him from focusing on her. "She was with my old friend Rico and it just upset me is all.

"What"? "Lacey Porter" he said "Wow she's been gone for a while I'm surprised she came back here. "You'd think a girl like her would never show her face again after everyone saw that sex tape of hers". 

"Well now it looks like not only is she back. but she's hooking up with Rico". Jo said continuing "I saw them at the Diner this morning having breakfast and she was clearly dressed in his clothes". "We might not be friends anymore but he's a good guy he doesn't deserve to be used by Lacey.

"Well after that last tape with her and Danny Desai if she's using your old nerd friend he should feel lucky. I bet you a lot of people would pay good money to see that". Tyler said jokingly 

When Jo stared at him he said "Josie I was just kidding Lacey Porters sex tape is old news and so is she don't worry about her so much".

"Yeah I know" Jo said smiling at Tyler but inwardly she was thinking about the footage in his camera when Danny called her

She knew she had to meet him without tipping off Tyler because she had a hunch and they were never usually wrong.

Hello" she answered gruffly...

"Who was that"? Tyler asked when she hung up her phone.

"Oh noone just a wrong number" she said pleasantly.

" You seemed really friendly" he said sounding suspicious

Jo employing double entendre stated "Oh Thats just cause he seemed like a nice guy".

"Well your a nice girl so I'm not surprised you think that". Tyler said trying to charm her", But you gotta be careful with guys you can't trust em I should know".

Yeah you would know Jo thought swallowing bile 

"Hey can i have a raincheck, Jo said finding the perfect excuse "my moms sick again and I really need to check on her".

"Oh I had such big plans for us tonight. I was thinking Dinner, movie and then maybe some dessert." He added suggestively as he leaned over and kissed her.

"As much as I'd love for you to taste me" Jo retorted trying to keep herself from vomiting. I really do have to go home".

"Ok I'll call you tomorrow" Tyler said as he pulled onto her street. He parked the car in front of the house and gave Jo a final kiss goodbye. Once free from his car she ran inside straight to the shower to try and scrub his smell off her skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So were about halfway in and I'd love your comments and feedback.


	11. Judged Judy Pt.2

Lace came to as sheets of ice cold water drizzled down her body. She wrapped herself in a towel shivering from cold.

As she pulled on her pajamas she heard muffled laughter coming from downstairs and figured Judy was on her cell phone talking. In her inner dialogue Lacey made her promise to be nice so in the interest of peace she obliged her. 

She decided to walk downstairs to check on Judy and maybe even apologize by making dinner suddenly becoming very hungry.

She was still toweling the water out of her hair when she saw Danny's mom Karen in the living room with her mother and a large bag of Chinese Take out on the Table.

"LACEY" she said smiling brilliantly looking as polished as ever. She ran up to her and began hugging her tight then she pulled away to get a good look at her."Oh my goodness you're even more gorgeous without makeup if that's possible".

"Hey Karen" Lace said hugging her back surprisingly happy to see her.

Judy now visibly relaxed sat with a glass of wine in her hand. "Karen came by when she heard from Danny that you were back in town". 

"Yeah Danny mentioned that he saw you and I just knew I had to come by and see my girl" Karen said looking at her eyes glazed with unshed tears. I practically flew here she added laughing " Are you hungry? I brought dinner".

Karen sat down patting the couch waiting for Lace to join her. She looked her up and down examining her.

"I'm okay Aunt Karen" Lace said sitting next to her. When Karen lifted her eyebrow questioningly at her Lace said putting on a small smile "I am Really.

"Well I'm not gonna pry about where you've been all this time". "God knows that after everything that's happened to you that you needed a break from this godforsaken town. I wish I could leave" she said trying to keep the conversation light.

Lacey not comfortable talking about her stay in a mental institution was thankful that Karen had let the issue go when in typical Judy fashion her mother said her wineglass now empty.

" I know". "This whole sex tape business has been a nightmare for our family". I had to send Clara to stay with Samuel for awhile until it all dies down and I've even had to take up extra freelance work just to keep up with all of Lacey's legal and medical bills". 

Lace becoming irate suddenly got up keeping her lips tightly puckered as she shook her head and walked out the room and back upstairs determined to keep her promise to Lacey

"What? Judy said defensively "Its the truth". 

Karen noting that Judy never acknowledged the pain that Lacey must have suffered turned towards her. "Judy maybe talking about this is embarrassing for Lacey".

"Embarrassing for her" Judy said indignant a slightly slurred lilt in her tone. "What could be more embarrassing than having everyone in Green Grove seeing your daughter having sex with the town pariah". 

"I don't know Judy" Karen said feeling her temperature rise after hearing the way she referred to Danny. "Maybe being the one everyone in Green Grove saw having sex with my son or the town pariah as you called him". 

Taking a deep breath to calm down Karen began again this time emphasizing the real reason for her visit. "Look Judy, Danny AND Lacey have dealt with more than most people our age could handle, and now that I've seen how deeply talking about the tape affects her I think that they are both going to need each other in order to get through this".

Judy paused before delivering her next line.  
"No offense Karen but I think Danny has done enough". She then got up and poured herself another glass of wine rubbing her temples before she spoke again. 

"Please try and understand as much as I love Danny this whole scandal has hurt everything for Lacey not just her High School Career. Because of their little indiscretion Lacey's dream of a future in Politics is in jeopardy. Even with the FBI and the police tracking the tape we couldn't risk the possibility of it popping up somewhere down the line.

Karen sat there listening Her heart breaking a little at the continued obstacles that life was throwing at her son in his quest to find normalcy.

"But didn't they arrest the Boy and girl who did it"? Karen asked a touch of desperation in her voice.

"Yes, but they're minors and supposedly first time offenders so they only received probation besides the fact that the tape keeps surfacing on the internet on different coded URLs usually child pornography sites. "Its costing us a lot of money to keep suing all these damn websites to take it down even though its obvious that somebody besides those two kids keeps putting it up". 

"I'm sorry Judy I didn't come here to fight with you especially after finding out about what you and you're family are going through". Karen said shaken. "It's just that Danny loves Lacey he always has you know that and if he can just get the chance to be a part of her life again she won't have to suffer alone". "Remember how crazy he was for Lacey even the first time he met her.

"I remember Karen". Judy said drifting into her thoughts." I just want what's best for Lacey". "I always have".....

Judy walked up to the large Tudor style home with Lacey in one hand and Baby Clara in her carrier in the other as Lacey's pigtails swung back and forth. Jo the button faced blonde haired girl in Lacey's ballet class and her mother Tess came up the walkway before them and met them on the doorstep.

"Hello Judy". Tess said as she turned towards her then squatting down she said "You must be Lacey, Jo's told me a lot about you".

Judy looked down as Lacey in an almost Queen like manner nodded but remained silent.

Jo picked up Lacey's hand and opening the door without knocking she dragged her along inside "Cmon Danny's probly on the swings" she said before their voices became muted as they walked towards the back door.

"Its okay You can come on in, Karen wont mind". Tess said nodding for Judy to follow her inside. "Danny and Jo have known each other since they were in utero".  
"They're almost like brother and sister".

Following behind Tess she ended up in the kitchen where through the window she saw a slim attractive blonde haired woman talking to Lacey and Jo while holding hands with an adorable dark haired boy.

"Thats Karen and her son Danny" Tess said pointing them out to Judy.

The little boy Danny smiled coyly at Lacey shaking her hand in introduction. When he tried to pull her to go with him Lacey still reserved pulled back looking at Karen nervously. In which to the shock of all watching Danny pushed her on the ground and ran away towards the swing set laughing.

Judy still holding Clara sprinted awkwardly out of the door with Tess behind her to see about Lacey but Karen was already helping Lacey up while shaking the grass of of her seersucker romper. "There you are pretty girl good as new" she said pinching her cheek lightly, making Lacey's dimples appear.

"Are you okay" Judy said reaching her and looking at Karen, inwardly annoyed at her sons behavior.

"I'm so sorry he's never done that before" she said apologetically as she grabbed Judy's hand then shook it. "Judy Right". "Welcome to the neighborhood I'm Karen and that little rascal who's father will be having a word with him later on, is my son Danny".

" I'm so glad Jo asked Lacey to come to our mommy group at Dance class because we've been meaning to invite you since you moved here" Tess said. 

When Judy hesitantly looked at Lacey then over to Danny, Karen said "I've got wine" lilting her voice and smiling.

Jo hearing her name ran back to the group after chasing Danny. She stood before Lacey and asked "Are you okay"   
Lacey nodded and hand in hand they walked off to sit under a tree to talk while Lacey stared daggers at Danny. 

"Sure I'll stay" Judy said smiling as she saw her daughter making real friends hoping in time they would replace her imaginary friend Lace who Lacey spent hours talking to especially since the new baby had been born.

The adult women sat down under the patio set to enjoy their drinks watching the children.

Danny did everything in his power to get Lacey to play with him. Running around the tree in circles, throwing grass in the air and doing flips but Lacey refused to look at him.

It was only when he picked up a large Daisy from Karen's garden and ran over to Lacey handing it to her with a sad look on his face that she acknowledged him by smiling.

Karen smiled at Judy and Tess nodding her head towards Lacey "I think Danny's got himself a little girlfriend".

Lacey then to the shock of all watching pushed Danny down on the ground and ran to the swings laughing along with Jo following behind her.

Danny grinned and dusting himself off followed the girls. He took turns pushing them until Lacey wanted to get off. Helping her down he pulled her pigtail then ran away laughing again.

"You know what Thank You Karen" Judy said suddenly enjoying herself. When Karen looked at her slightly puzzled Judy clarified "For inviting me into your group".

Judy laughed as she watched Lacey chase Danny thinking that Lacey's carefree smile was reward enough for her coming...

Refocusing Judy tried to remember how many times in the past 5 months Lacey had smiled like that

Surprising herself and Karen, Judy said "How about Dinner at your place Tomorrow Its the day before Memorial Day we can grill burgers. You can even invite Tess and Jo".

"THAT SOUNDS PERFECT"! Karen said  
excited to get home and tell Danny the good news.

\-------------------------------------------------

When she got there Danny was nowhere to be found so she texted him the details then called Tess to invite her over her mind swimming with ideas on how to make sure tomorrow night was perfect.


	12. Dark Danny Pt.3

8:00 came and went as Danny sat on the floor of the fort checking his cellphone and waiting for Jo. She ended up showing a couple of minutes past 9 looking frazzled and tired.

"I'm sorry I'm late". Jo said walking into the fort her voice drowsy "I fell asleep". She stood there at the entrance her eyes darting around as she folded her arms.

Danny caught sight of her red rimmed eyes and could tell that she had been crying but he decided to be cautious broaching the subject with her.

"You can sit down Jo". "I'm not gonna hurt you... at least not on purpose" he said trying to get her to smile.

"I'm not here to joke Danny" she said

"Well then why are you here"? He said questioningly wondering himself after not speaking to Jo in months what the purpose of this meeting was.

"Its about Tyler" she said stammering a little as she did. Danny could see tears gathering under her swollen lids."and the necklace".

\---------------------------------------------

Tyler and I were... you know.. together yesterday". Jo said uncomfortably  
"And I was looking in his phone and I saw a message from someone named V". "It said there would be a full payment for footage this coming Friday which wouldn't be that weird except there was a picture of your Aunt Tara's necklace as the sender".

" Danny I think it might be your dad or someone pretending to be him". "I texted you as soon as I found out but I didn't come because Tyler seemed upset about me wanting to leave".

Danny sat silent in his own personal hell and his Aunt Tara's necklace was the instrument used to torture him. Why didn't I break that damned thing into a million pieces when I had the chance, he thought even though he knew the answer.

"There's more Danny" Jo said looking around paranoid.

Danny braced himself closing his eyes as the fort became silent enough to hear him swallowing down a lump in his throat. The sounds of the surrounding forest seemed to be louder and more ominous than before 

"I think Tyler is responsible for that video of you and Lacey".

Danny's head snapped up 

"Today I was in Tyler's car waiting for him and I went into his camera". Jo said "I saw a list of his recordings, and one of them was of you and Lacey".

"Well maybe he had a copy". Danny said trying to reason "Doug already confessed to filming it and Eloise was charged with distributing pornography".

"Yeah I initially thought that too but then I remembered that Tyler told me once that he used to be a member of AV club maybe he told Doug to film it". "It makes more sense than Doug all of a sudden deciding to do it on his own". "Besides at the time Tyler was at your party trying to get you to trust him for the interview so using Doug would be the perfect alibi".

"I also think he's somehow involved in Regina's murder". "When I looked in his camera he also had another recording labeled Soccer Stud". Jo said omitting the mention of the footage he had of her. "You know the same title as that disc I took from Lacey' s house the night I slept over".

Because Danny didn't say anything Jo kept talking. "I'm thinking since Tyler has a stash of footage he doesn't let me look at in his house that it must be something incriminating he recorded". "That way the text message would make sense". 

Jo paused again "Look Danny the reason I'm telling you all this is because .. I guess.. Now that I've found out about Tyler,... I owe you And Lacey an apology". 

"I'm sorry". "I never should have abandoned you two when I saw the tape especially after everything you went through". Then as an afterthought she quietly added "I would never want you to abandon me when I needed it".

" It's just that I was so hurt at the time and the pain was so raw I couldn't feel anything else for anyone. I ... I..

"SAY SOMETHING"! Jo cried out suddenly unable to stand the silence but Danny was unable to form any words. Jo anxiously began to pace her breath heaving in and out as tears slipped down her face despite her effort to control them.

Danny snapped out of his cocoon to comfort Jo now completely frantic. He stood up and put his arms tightly around her like a protective blanket. "Hey" he said "Calm Down".

Jo stayed in his arms until her tears turned into light sniffles then pulling herself away she asked Danny " How did you know that you were in love with Lacey?

"What do you mean"? Danny asked truly perplexed by Jo's timing.

"That day I asked you If you had feelings for Lacey and you said yes". "You said with her it was different". Jo said trying to make sure her words were right. "I always wondered How it was different from the way you felt about me". " What I mean is after finding out about Tyler I'm not sure about anything anymore"..."I guess I'm trying to say how do you know when you're in love with someone"? 

"Jo" Danny said fearing he would upset her further "Let's not talk about this".

"Please" she said. Her need to know the answer becoming almost tangible.

Danny breathed Deeply focusing on images of Lacey to clarify his feelings  
"I don't know if I can explain it but I'll try. "  
"Sometimes people describe love as a unexplainable pull or connection and that's the case with me and Lacey.

"I knew I loved Lacey when I first saw her honestly. I know we were kids but I felt this need to be noticed by her to know her and everything about her."Her likes, her dislikes, her feelings and it didn't go away even when I went to Juvie". "It grew into a need once I came back to not only be a part of her life but to be in it". 

"Now its gotten to the point that not being with her is no longer an option for me".  
"If I had been with you Jo it would've complimented me but when i was with Lacey it completed me". "For me that's how its different, that's how I know that even though I love you both I'm in love with her". he said 

Danny somewhat selfishly hoping that Jo's quest to find love would lead her to Rico  
asked as he looked at her  
"Have you ever felt like that about Tyler?

"Never" she said without hesitating. "I never even felt that way about you to be honest".

Danny laughed staring over Jo's shoulder as if he could see the jumbled path they all had taken that had led them here. "I'm glad to hear that Jo, because when Lacey and I were together we never wanted you to feel like an outsider that was always her biggest concern".

Hearing Danny say Lacey cared about her feelings Jo felt even worse. She brought her hands up to her eyes rubbing them tiredly.  
"I don't know where to start with Lacey. I feel like the damage between between us cant be repaired".

"I think it can Jo". Danny said beginning to be optimistic for the first time since the meeting started. "You and Lacey have a connection too. She was the Planner you were the Doer together you guys pulled off some of coolest ideas".

"Like when you invented the personal pool" because we couldn't go swimming that day and the bag kept falling down..

"Until Lacey said to tie them around our waists so the water wouldn't keep escaping" Jo admitted nostalgia making her feel regret again." "That was fun.   
I don't know why its so hard to admit how much I've missed her Jo thought. Then an idea occurred to her and she said "We need Lacey". "She would've figured this whole thing out with you're Dad and Tyler. "She would know exactly what to do next".

"Yeah we do but its getting to talk to her that's the problem"Danny said as his phone vibrated in his pocket He ignored it until the phone vibrated again.

Taking it out he looked at the text remembering why he had contacted Jo in the first place.  
"You do know Lacey's back in town right".

"Yeah I saw her this morning having breakfast with Rico wearing his clothes".Jo stated miserably.

"This..This Morning" Danny said stumbling over his words trying to keep cool.

"I've got to go". Danny said suddenly "Somehow I've got to get through to her. I can't risk her disappearing again or me disappearing again or YOU disappearing again" Danny joked making Jo laugh. 

"I've got to get going too" Jo said. "Don't call me I'll call you". "I don't want to make Tyler suspicious".

They waves goodbye to eachothers and  
Danny watched Jo head in the direction of her house before heading home himself knowing he needed to take care of a few things.

\-------------------------------------------

Danny climbed into Lace's window about a half an hour later with his surprise for her in hand. He began stealthily setting up near her bed making sure not to wake her. He was almost finished setting up when the clouds covering the sky parted illuminating the room. 

Lacey was lying facing the window  
Her hair was wavy falling around her face in beautiful messy strands.

Danny reached out to smooth them away so he could see her better. Her lips began to pucker and she crinkled her nose deepening her dimple into the beginnings of a smile.  
The moonlight created a gentle glow that allowed Danny to see the silhouette of her almost naked body through the thin blanket 

He was about to reach out and touch her when she began stirring...


	13. Dark Danny Pt.4

Lace was asleep in her room when she began feeling like she was being watched. She slowly lifted her head from her pillow looking around the moonlit room when she saw a blanket of brightly colored daisy petals spread all over her floor and bed.

"Why won't you leave me alone? She yelled out knowing he was there watching her.

Danny stepped out of the shadows a Gerber daisy in his hand. 

"I can't" he said quietly walking towards her. "I can't stop myself".

He stopped at the foot of her bed looking down at her with so many emotions that she had to look away.

" Please". "Hear me out" Danny said holding the Daisy in front of him. 

"I love you Lace". "I love all of you". "Every complicated, deep, dark broken beautiful part". "But Thats not what matters, How I Feel". "What matters is that I need you in my life So badly that its ruined me for anyone else so I can't stop until I make you need me too".

Lace felt a battle beginning. She decided to try and stop it quickly by showing Lacey what it was he really needed.

"I do need you Danny". She said seductively  
focusing into his dark eyes. "I need you right now".

She pulled the blanket down past her bare shoulders and off of her legs all the while keeping her eyes glued to his as she slid down to the edge of the bed to meet him.

She stood up placing herself inches away from him and removed her camisole tilting her head back to look at his eyes. His dark hypnotizing eyes she thought.

Almost naked in front of him she stood there fierce her eyes gleaming as she watched him take her in. His eyes lingering on her pink panties. Leaning into his ear she whispered "Lets fuck Danny since you can't stop yourself".

She moaned purposely in his ear."I'll let you slide my panties down and then you can take me right here on my bed. She pulled away her face but stayed close enough to kiss him and challenged him with her eyebrow raised "Thats what you want right".

"Yes" He said his eyes dark with desire inching closer and closer until their bodies were almost touching. "I want you like this.

Danny held the daisy up and began dragging it lightly down her temple. He trailed it down the bridge of her nose tickling her when it reached the tip. Pulling the petals over her mouth he let the daisy linger there for a second pressing it onto her lips in a mock kiss. It tickled trailing down her throat to the valley between her breasts where he circled each one but never allowed the flower to touch her nipples which were beginning to harden. He glided down around her belly lazily dragging it and gently like whisper Danny rubbed the flower over her pubic hairs making them stand on end.

He walked around her pulling the flower up her side to her arms and her shoulders. He trailed it behind her ear and back down her neck and her spine making sure it touched each nodule. It dipped into the space above her ass and then Danny stopped. He stood behind her breathing close enough for Lace to feel the heat on her back.

"Please Danny" Lace said as a patch of wetness formed between her legs. She tried to lean against him but he moved back taunting her by not allowing her body to touch his. 

He brought his mouth close to her ear " Say my name again Lace" he whispered hoarsely.

Lace was determined not to give in to him She walked a few inches forward stuck her ass out slightly and pulled her panties down 

She heard his breath catch. His tell, she thought amused. She could feel his eyes like lasers burning as they examined her. She turned her head back and looked at him satisfied that she had the upper hand.

That was her mistake.

His eyes were focused in on her still dark still dangerous but he was smirking. He knew that they were playing a game but he wasn't going to let her win.

Lace turned herself around suddenly feeling like the prey as Danny closed the small distance between them. "I'm not going to touch you until you say my name Lace".  
"I want to see it come out of your sexy mouth" 

He began circling her slowly seducing her. Mind fucking her. "Say my name Lace. The way you said it our first time" He said. "Remember I was inside you and your legs were wrapped around my hips and we couldn't get close enough. You said my name and I felt you open up and I went so deep inside of you that we became one".

She remained silent turning her head away from him

"Say my name the way you did when I kissed your bandage under the swing set the day after you hurt yourself to make up for letting you fall. Do you remember my face when I told you I wouldn't let you get hurt again.

"Stop" Lace said her head beginning to hurt. I don't remember".

"I cant" Danny said again "I want you to say my name Lace". "You have to remember us".

"Remember the way you said my name when you told me to be strong Lace" he said with so much angst in his voice that Lace recoiled. "I replayed the sound of your voice Every day Over and Over in my mind". "It was what got me through the beatings and the isolation and the loneliness". "I stayed strong for you, I made it out without losing myself because of you."Please Say It" he begged.

"DANNY" Lacey said tears sliding down her face "Stop"! she whimpered and sank down to the floor."Stop".

Danny sank down with her gathering her in his arms and pulling her onto his lap. She kept turning away from him trying to hide herself ashamed of her tears.

"Stop hiding from me" he said softly "I'm not  
going away". Lacey looked up at him she looked so vulnerable, in so much pain, so much pent up anger and unspoken disappointment conveyed itself through her eyes. They told a story to Danny of a little girl lost and forgotten and how noone had even cared enough to find her. 

He couldn't stand seeing it. He bent down passionately kissing her lips wanting to make her pain go away.

"I love you" he told her tangling his fingers into her hair. He laid her down on the floor and pulled her hands up above her head clasping them together with his. Chest to chest he kept kissing her sucking her bottom lip as she sucked his. "I want you like this" he said pulling away licking his way down to her breasts taking one into his mouth hungrily sucking on it before switching sides and sucking on the other.

Lacey her arms still above her head tried to move them to grab him but he wouldn't untangle his hands from hers.

He gyrated against her dry humping her naked she pulled her legs apart and encircled his hips allowing him to.

He kissed his way back up to her ear and whispered "I want you like this" before thrusting his tongue inside if it, sucking her earlobe. Then he was on her neck kissing and biting her

Lacey strained under him trying to free her hands. Danny pulled them apart holding them down at her sides. "Let me love you he said nuzzling her neck "I want you like this " he said again.

She relaxed and Danny began blazing a trail of wet kisses under her breasts and her belly and her sides She felt his hardness through his jeans and needing to feel him inside her she started bucking underneath him.

He stood up abruptly picked her up and carried her towards the bed laying her down flat on her back.  
He climbed on top of her and whispered against her lips "But I need you like this" Then he pulled up the blanket and tucked it around her. He leaned down and lightly kissed the tip of Lacey's head and then her nose.

Danny climbed in next to her and laying over the blanket he gathered her into his arms again cuddling her. While Lacey within the safe haven of his arms leaned her head against his no longer feeling lost.


	14. Dark Danny Pt.5

They laid there silent for a while, Lacey and Danny reveling in the feeling of being in eachothers arms.

Periodically Danny would pull back from Lacey staring at her then he would kiss her head pulling her back tightly next to him as if to confirm that she was still there.

She was the first one to break the silence.

"Danny I think I'm okay now" she said trying to pull herself away.

"I'm not" he said slowly rubbing her arms refusing to let her go. "I know this sounds crazy but I'm afraid if I let go of you that I'll wake up and you'll still be gone and this moment will all have been a dream".

"I don't want this moment to end either" she said "but I'm more afraid of what will happen if I don't walk away from you now, while I still have a chance to".

"I'm not ever gonna give you the chance" Danny said darkly turning his face to hers so she could see the seriousness of his statement in his eyes. "You are it for me".  
"Barring death I am yours and you are mine, and even then I'll be waiting for you in Paradise".

"You can't mean that" Lacey said a little rattled about the accepting finality in his tone". "I mean you're gorgeous Danny you could have any girl you want and you're charming and brilliant... and we're so young". "Why limit yourself"?

"I could have any girl I wanted huh"? Danny said smiling down at her amazed that she couldn't see how much she meant to him. "Well the girl I want is you, but even if I didn't want you Lace I meant what I said before I need you". "My qualities only work if I have you with me as my better half". 

"I'm not your better half Danny" she said plainly.

"You're right you are more than that".  
You are my Guardian Angel, My Conscience   
My Muse My Nymph My Puzzle. "You're My Juliette".He said "Did I miss anything"?

"Why are you saying this to me" Lacey asked uncomfortably.

"Because" Danny said "when I looked into your eyes as I was holding you I saw so much uncertainty there". I knew that somehow you never really knew the amazing woman I see when I look at you". You already know you're beautiful but did you know that you are kind and selfless and strong willed and classy and talented and sexy and brilliant. "People look up to people like you"."People like you change the world".

"You're amazing too Danny". Lacey said wanting him to see himself the way she did. "If anyone could change the world it would be you". "When I look at you I see passion and compassion power and loyalty and charm and swagger and of course star level sex appeal. "You are so dynamic and irresistible its why I can't stay away from you but somehow I know I have to"...

"No Lace you don't" he said kissing her slowly , missing her lips as soon as they pulled apart from his. "You don't" he said and kissed her again "I can't stand being without you" 

"When you were gone I felt like I died inside". He brought her hand to his heart to emphasize his point."Not being with you almost killed me"

"The night before I discovered you were gone I had a terrible nightmare. I saw you sinking into quicksand that I knew I couldn't touch or it would pull me in too. I tried to help you but the harder I pulled the faster you sank. I pulled one last time and it seemed to be working i could see you coming out of the sand little by little but you looked at me and you let go of my hand and I had to stand there and watch as you disappeared ....

"NO LACEY DON'T GO! LAACEEY! DON'T. Danny screamed out waking up panicking in a cold sweat. He had to talk to Lacey  
"Cmon Lacey pick up, pick up". Danny said dialing her phone. He had a bad feeling in his stomach .."Damn it please answer me".   
"Cmon please Lace pickup Please".  
He pressed redial again  
"Cmon Please Lace Baby Pleeaase Pickup". "PICKUP". Danny said just needing to hear her voice. He knew she said she wished she never met him but somehow none of that mattered right now.  
"PICK UP THE PHONE LACEY PICK IT UP".  
"SHIT" Danny said as he threw the phone across the room before running back to get it and pressing redial again.....

"I went to your house the next morning but no one answered". "When I came back again that night the lights were out and the house felt abandoned and somehow I knew that you were gone but I didn't lose hope I kept coming back the rest of the week and that Sunday I saw a light on in the house"..........

Knock Knock Knock Knock. Knock Knock Knock Knock. Knock Knock Knock Knock.

WHO IS IT? a voice called angrily from behind the door?

"Its Danny". "Danny Desai". May I please speak to Lacey" he pleaded. The door opened and Judy stood there with one hand on the doorknob and the other on her hip

"What do you want Danny"? She said looking tired and grim.

"Please Mrs. Porter I know you're upset with me about everything that's happened since I came back. But I have to see Lacey I just need to talk to her".

"I'm sorry Danny but Lacey can't see you anymore" she said. "You need to stay away from her". She slammed the door quickly before Danny could say anything else.

Danny walked around the side of the house and climbed up the tree by Lacey's window.  
When he couldn't open it he climbed back down and headed home racking his brain about how he was going to get in contact with her...

"But your mother wouldn't let me talk to you so I started asking around"............

"What do you want" Sarita said as Danny approached her and Phoebe in the hallway at school.

" Well hello to you too Sarita" Danny said recently reinstated from his expulsion. "Have you heard from Lacey by any chance"? 

"Like I would tell you if I did Socio". "Ha now that Lacey's not in our group anymore I can say it as much as I want Socio". Sarita emphasized again then she paused placing her finger under her lip. "You know what it doesn't quite have the same ring to it as it did". "Maybe Sicko would fit you better after the way you pimped my best friend and then left her out there for the entire school to see". "Yeah I like Sicko better" Serita said turning away from Danny and walking down the hall.

Phoebe tilted her head sideways pulled her lips in and closed her eyes in pure Phoebe fashion and said " Umm I haven't talked to Lacey since that night after Archie admitted he poisoned Cole and that was days before he and Scott got expelled".

She went on to inform Danny that Sarita and the rest of the group had really begun freezing Lacey out once they found out she told Chief Masterson what Archie and Scott had done".

"I did see her last week I think it was Wednesday in the halls She had a janitor with her". "I guess she was trying to get him to scrub her locker again". Phoebe sighed."She looked so lost, but you know Lacey she just kept her head up and walked by us like it didn't affect her". 

"If you see her Danny tell her nothing's the same without her". Phoebe said then left trying to figure out where Sarita went while Danny thought of other people he could talk to....

"I tried talking to the Principal"........

Principal Tang looked weary wondering what it was now that brought Mr. Desai into his Office.

"How may I help you Danny"?

"Look Principal Tang I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm here trying to find out about a student. "Lacey Porter she's been absent from school for a little over a week now and I wondered if you knew anything about it".

"Danny you know I can't divulge that information". The Principal said

"Please Principal Tang" Danny said rubbing his hair furiously giving off an air of desperation "Lacey was a very close to my family but ever since the tape her parents won't let her see me". "My mother and I are both worried about her". "She's undergone a lot of stress from the bullying as you well know. I just want to know that she's okay".

Principal Tang seemed to struggle especially after Danny mentioned Karen's emotional involvement but he said " I'm Sorry Danny my hands are tied".

Danny got up to leave when he reached the door Principal Tang said to Danny's back  
"I can't say what I know but I will tell you that Mrs. Porter has been pulled out of Green Grove High School but she is Safe". "I hope that helps you and your mother".

"I even tried talking to Kyle" Danny said chuckling......

"Chief Masterson I'd like to file a missing Persons report". Danny said 

"On who Danny" He said thinking that another murder case was about to hit his department.

"Lacey Porter". "Its been a month and no one has seen her or heard anything from her and I'm not leaving until you tell me what you know".

"Look Danny every time I see you there's a crisis. 3 weeks ago you just barely got out of being arrested because the evidence was suppressed by the judge in the Crane murder investigation. DON'T make me arrest you again. Its getting to be a habit".

"You might as well" Danny said miserably  
"What's the point of getting out of Juvie if everything I love keeps getting taken away from me". "Without Lacey it doesn't even feel like freedom". He put his hands over his face and leaned against the wall.

Chief Masterson pulled him out of his woe by stating " She's not missing Danny from what I understand". "So here's what I'll do. "I'll let you know if I hear anything telling me otherwise". "Okay".

"Okay" Danny agreed..........

 

"I've never given up looking for you Lace..

"Mom did you hear anything" Danny asked just coming in defeated from a Soccer Championship loss.

"No Danny" Karen said. "Judy won't return any of my calls".

"Its okay" he said looking down. "I'm gonna run by there tonight to see if she'll at least talk to me".

"How'd the game go" she asked looking at him expectantly.

"We lost". "It was my fault actually I can't seem to stay focused for too long". Danny said thinking of how he kept looking at the bleachers imagining he saw Lacey there.

Karen could feel his anguish. She placed her hand on his shoulder and said"Well find her Danny"."Don't give up"

"Oh I'm not mom" he said, then quietly to himself he mumbled."I'm not" 

He ran up to his room and reaching into his duffel bag he pulled out some letters that he had taken from Lacey's house the day before flipping through them for addresses. There were bills and Junk mail and one Hallmark card with the envelope addressed from Seattle. He placed it back in his bag his hope renewed as he figured out how he was going to get to Seattle this summer......

"And now that your really here I'm not going to waste time or energy waiting to tell you how I feel". "You told me that I was worth the risk". "My biggest mistake was forgetting to tell you that you are too". He said leaning his head against hers.

Danny ..Lacey began before her stomach began growling loudly.

They both laughed

" I guess whatever you had to say will have to wait until you eat something

"I'll be right back" she said quickly pulling on her pajamas and running out of the room. She checked that her mother was sleeping in her room before going downstairs to grab the bag of takeout on the table and running back up to her room.

"You said you wanted to catch up" she said smiling at him at the door in a way that made his heart melt. "How about over dinner".

Danny fed her noodles and they tried to reenact the spaghetti scene in Lady and the tramp. But Lacey kept eating the noodles before they could kiss. 

"ah ah ah" she said tsking her hand. "Not until you say my name".

Danny smiled "Like this" he said then kissed her lips seductively before saying "Lacey"in a husky tone. He kissed her neck and said in lower softer octave "Lacey". He pulled his face up to meet her eyes and he slowly whispered "Lace" and softly kissed her again. 

Lacey pulled away understanding that in order to be truly intimate with him she had to open herself up and hope he didn't reject her.

"I have something to tell you she said tensing up suddenly. " Being without you ...It almost killed me too"....

\----------------------------------------------


	15. Dark Lace pt.4

Lacey sat up in her bed and Danny laid his head down in her lap. He looked up at her questioning but silent waiting for her to speak.

She began by stroking his head.

"It was a few days after I yelled at you at JohnnyCakes". "It hurt me so badly saying what I said but I knew I had to in order for our plan to work"."I just wanted to stop thinking about you and the expression on your face". "I tried distracting myself but that night when my parents found out about us all hell broke loose, and I couldn't take anymore"....

"What the hell" Lacey said out loud looking at the computer screen. An anonymous person had tagged her name. When she clicked the notification it brought her to the video of her and Danny.

Oh my God, she thought as she watched herself removing her bra. In the comments section she read posts from random and not so random people saying that she was a slut, a hoe and a jumpoff and making lewd remarks about her body.

**The front door slammed and Clara ran upstairs. Lacey grabbed her laptop trying to hide it but Clara walked by her room without peeking in to say hello".

Nervously she glanced up as Clara walked by again with the phone in her hand headed to her mothers room but she was too busy trying to report the video. Later on she would regret that she didn't stop what she was doing.

**WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT IT SAMUEL? Lacey heard her mother scream a few minutes later into the phone "MAYBE IF YOU WERE AS CONCERNED ABOUT YOU'RE FUCKING CHILDREN AS YOU ARE ABOUT FUCKING NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED?

Lacey sprinted into the room she saw Clara standing in the corner crying. When Lacey went to comfort her Clara turned away from her and ran to the other side of the room glaring at her from her mothers bed.

"Mom what's going on"."Why are you and Dad arguing"? Lacey asked getting a sinking feeling in her stomach. Her mother held up her finger irritated and continued yelling at her father.

**"SPARE ME THE FUCKING SOB STORY ABOUT YOU AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THAT'S KEEPING YOU FROM BEING A FATHER OKAY SAMUEL". "Here's A Newsflash" she hissed "I DON'T GIVE A FUCK".

Her father was screaming something and Lacey heard him say her and Clara's name in the background."I DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOU OR MITCH OR WHAT HE FUCKING THINKS ABOUT ME AND WHAT I NEED TO DO WITH MY FUCKING KIDS".

"YEAH YOU GET A LAWYER BITCH AND I'll SEE YOURE CHEATING ASS IN COURT". She screamed out. She slammed the phone down enraged and ripped the cord out of the wall.

Her mother took a deep steadying breath and looked at her."Were Arguing Lacey" she said sternly before advancing towards her "Because a Certain Young Lady Was Caught On Camera having Sex With Danny Desai".

Lacey felt the floor drop from under her and she couldn't control the panic that was beginning to set in. "Listen Mom .. I was going to tell you..I 

"WHEN LACEY"? she snapped "When I found out from Tess or Karen, or a gossiping co-worker". "Because Clara found out from her friends so God knows who else knows about this". "You could've saved us all a whole lot of embarrassment by coming clean earlier". "Now look what's happened". "Because you didn't, Your father is threatening to take you and Clara away to Seattle".

"I'm sorry" Lacey whispered heartbroken by both the idea that being with Danny had caused so many problems and the idea of never being with him again.

Well It's Too Late for That". "I Need To Talk To My Lawyer But This Conversation Isn't Over". We WILL talk later" her mother said rubbing her temples as she walked out of the room.

Lacey turned to her baby sister, "Poo I'm sorry" she choked out tears running down her face.

"DON'T call me that". Clara said from the foot of the mattress. Her hand was up in the air and she was looking away from Lacey with so much contempt and disgust that Lacey's heart shattered into a million fine pieces.

That name is reserved for my sister who had class and self respect"."Thats why you left Archie" she sobbed "to be with... HIM"?.

"He's so creepy" she said shuddering "You know I caught him sitting outside your window watching you sleep last week. "How sick is that"! "He killed his Aunt and Your best friend and you don't think you're next". "You're So Stupid". "I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I WANTED TO BE LIKE YOU" she blurted out and ran from the room.

Lacey grew antsy as the house became stifling. Lacey ran her hands up and down along her arms but she was unable to stop the feeling that everything was closing in on her. She grabbed her keys to leave knowing she would catch hell later but she had to breathe.

When she reached her car there were opened condoms littered all over the hood and her windshield. She screamed out in frustration placing her head in her hands so noone could hear her. 

throwing the debris onto the ground she got in the car and drove to Danny's house. He would forgive her for walking away, because he was the only person that understood her she thought.

She spotted him through the bay window sitting next to his mom on the sofa. His hair was tousled down around his shoulders and he looked relaxed and happy. She looked on as he laughed appearing like the normal 16 year old boy she had always imagined he would be. He stopped for a moment gazing around sensing Lacey but she quickly hid herself, and suddenly it became clear what she needed to do. 

He'll be alright, she told herself. He'll be better off. They all would. Poo would be with Dad, and Mom would finally have the perfect child and freedom and Jo... she would forgive Lacey and eventually Danny, and she would take care of him and finally he would be safe.

That night she laid in her bed swallowing her sleeping pills one by one imagining they were candy. 

I tried to kill myself and I almost succeeded but even as I was trying to let go you wouldn't let me". She stated taking a lock of his dark hair and wrapping it around her finger ." I FELT you trying to reach me that night, and somehow you brought me back. 

When i woke up I was transferred to an upscale private facility in Manhattan. At first I kept willing myself to die. There wasn't anything left to live for. I eventually dealt the best way I could by making friends...

"Mrs. Porter I've had several reports from the staff nurses that you are refusing to eat and take your medications. 

It had been 3 days since Lacey had arrived and as she laid in her suite she couldn't help noticing the overnight psychiatrist Dr. Kurtz looking her over.

"I'm not hungry" she replied turning her back to him.

"Regardless Mrs. Porter we have a responsibility to make sure that you're nursed back to optimal health" He said reaching down and massaging her shoulders.

Still facing the window Lacey scooted to the other side of the bed away from his touch.

"Now if you do not eat" he said suddenly less agreeable. "we will have to feed you intravenously and I for one would hate to Force".. He said seemingly relishing the thought "a beautiful young woman like yourself to do that but the choice is yours.

At the suggestive hints in his voice Lacey and Lace began an internal dialogue. Lacey just wanted to be left alone and so did Lace they just kept disagreeing on the best way to go about it.

When Dr. Kurtz alerted her saying "Mrs. Porter it's almost time to take your medicine. What would you like to do"? they decided that she could control the situation or she could let it control her.

**"Dr. Kurtz" Lacey turned around close enough to see the Doctor. She watched him eyeing her as he sat down eagerly near the edge of her bed. "Maybe we can come to an agreement" she heard Lace say before she slipped away into her safe place.

And some allies...

"Hey Lacey or is it Lace today" Dante the back door guard joked sweetly trying to see by their code whether she wanted something or she wanted to leave for the night. "Its Lacey " she said chuckling "but who knows the night is young. 

" Well Lacey you always have a sweet tooth so what kind of candy do you want"? he asked. Lacey wanted to fantasize about Danny tonight uninterrupted and she wanted to do it without the confusion she usually felt after taking her antidepressants. 

"How about Gummi bears" she said smiling referring to her code for ecstasy. Andre smiled back and she hugged him tight shoving her meds in his pocket. He gave her a wink and walked out the back to head to"the store"

Thats all I really remember but It seems like ever since I saw you yesterday I woke up again after all this time....

Lacey, Lacey wait up" a familiar voice called behind her."Danny" Lacey thought as she turned around feeling her heart constrict.

It's good to see you" she offered finally as she perused his face slowly, taking in his soft lips slightly parted, his cheeks flush and his wavy dark hair struggling to free itself from its binding a tendril sweeping across his eyes as they stared at her questioningly. 

"She Bit her lips feeling a twinge of desire and softly returned a stray lock of hair back behind Danny's ear. Danny's charming heartbreaker smile greeted her tentatively in return.

Umm.. Its good to see you too. You look really good" he said, but it was Lacey who couldn't help noticing how handsome Danny looked. The long sleeved Letterman Jacket he wore over his green and white soccer Uniform made him look mature and.. more sexy if it was possible. He wore knee high socks that framed his lean muscular legs and every so often to Lacey's glee, her eyes would catch a glimpse of his hand as he pulled at his soccer shorts quickly adjusting the slight bulge in his pants. 

His dark eyes were large and tender as they looked into hers and Lacey felt herself becoming lost in his gaze then he touched her and everything changed. She could see how easily he could still beguile her when the minutes with his hand gently touching hers began to feel like hours.

She retreated allowing Lace to take over and protect her because she was still too weak to protect herself . 

"And now I'm afraid Danny she said because if I lose you again this time"."It really will kill me"

"Lace you won't lose me" he said burrowing into her hand "I'm here".

"You don't understand" she said sorrow marring her features. She paused taking a deep breath to explain this thing about her that she always knew to be true.

"You said you see me as this amazing, confident, world changing person but I'm not"."I'm weak and afraid of disappointment and full of self doubt"."The truth is the girl that you knew, when we were little wasn't even me half of the time".

"Do you remember back then when I would take charge."I was the no nonsense, protector, the fixer" she continued her words becoming more pronounced. 

"That was never me" Lacey admitted sadly "That was Lace". 

Danny looked up at Lacey furrowing his brow in confusion trying to dissect what she said. He kept quiet though sensing that Lacey would lose the nerve to finish what she needed to say if he interrupted her.

The anxiety began rising in her under his piercing gaze and she dreaded the pity and loathing he would feel towards her once he knew how imperfect she truly was. She was so afraid that their perfect moment of peace would end once she told him, that her body began to tremble.

Lace became distressed but Lacey continued embracing the dread and the fear by telling her that she had to do this.

Her muscles began clenching in her throat making her forthcoming words difficult to say

"Danny I'm not complex or mysterious or a puzzle". "I'm just terribly flawed and damaged and I always have been". 

"I have a form of something my doctors call Dissociative Personality Disorder". "Its when a person has different personas or identities that alternate controlling their behavior". 

"Lace is my other identity she's the one you need. I'm just the girl who needs you".   
"Please don't think less of me" she begged as she watched him fearfully trying to gauge his reaction. 

He lifted his head off her lap looking into her intensely. Lace felt the tears welling up in her eyes and she closed them waiting, knowing that his rejection of her would be kind. He would stay with her until she assured him that she would be fine before walking away and out of her life for good...


End file.
